The Path to Darkness
by LuminationPresenter
Summary: What would happen if Snape had been charged with introducing Harry to the magical world? Would he have entered Gryffindor house, or could he have started on a path to darkness? Find out! AU from chapter 2 PS onwards.
1. Chapter 1

**The Path to Darkness**

Harry Potter shifted and awoke. He had slept, as usual, in the cupboard under the stairs in Number Four, Privet Drive. It was musty and cramped and there was a stench of dry rot that grew stronger as the days passed. Harry yawned, and brushed a spider out of his hair. Harry recalled he had been dreaming of a flying motorbike. It was not the first time. He wished he could fall asleep and recapture the dream... oh what bliss.

But then an ear splitting shriek sounded from outside the cupboard. It was his Aunt Petunia calling him. "Get up! Get up!" Her grating voice threatened to split his skull. "I want you to look after the bacon and don't you dare let it burn. I want everything to be perfect on Duddy's birthday." Harry groaned. He didn't keep track of Dudley's birthdays. They were simply an ordeal that came round once a year.

Soon Harry was in the kitchen, shaking the frying pan, making sure the spluttering strips of bacon attained the perfect level of crispiness. Dudley was making a fuss about the number of birthday presents. The telephone rang and Petunia answered it. She frowned at what she heard and replaced the receiver.

"Bad news Vernon," she said. "Ms Figg has broken her leg, she can't take _him_." She said, inclining her head towards Harry.

"Aren't there any teenage girls in the neighbourhood who are short of a few quid?" Grunted Vernon.

"I won't have anything so dirty in my house, thank you very much," snapped Petunia. "Harry is quite bad enough." She scowled. "I suppose he'll have to come with us."

Dudley screwed up his face; "I don't want him to come, I – I d-don't want him to come he always spoils everything," he wailed, shooting Harry a nasty sidelong grin.

"Sorry Dinky Duddydums," said Petunia, "Mummy won't let him spoil your special day."

At that moment there was a crack and a flash. Petunia screamed. Dudley squealed and rolled onto the floor into a corner of the room. A tall man in billowing black robes and shoulder length greasy, black hair now stood amongst them. "Who the Hell are you and how did you get in?" Roared Vernon. The strange man pointed a long yellow finger at him. "Silence," he whispered and Vernon fell back into his chair his jaws apparently locked together. His watery eyes bulged frantically in their sockets. Petunia had stood transfixed. "You," she hissed. "I never, ever wanted to see you again."

The stranger smirked. "And hello to you Petunia," he said, a sneer in his voice. "I assure you, the feeling is entirely mutual." He raised what looked like a twig a foot long in his right hand and twirled it at Petunia whose jaws clamped shut just as Vernon's had. She collapsed into a chair, her eyes cold with fury.

Harry had been staring wide eyed. The stranger turned and his fathomless black eyes bored into Harry's. He had a prominent, hooked nose and sallow skin. His face was less lined than Mr Dursley's, but Harry could not begin to guess how old he was. "Harry Potter," he said with a hint of sarcasm. "I take it you don't know why I am here."

"No sir," whispered Harry.

"Well I assure you I did not beg for the job, but come, I have much to show you." Said the man, and with that he grasped Harry by the hand and with another crack, they were both gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Harry felt a sensation of being crammed into a tube that tightened until he could no longer breathe... surely he would be asphyxiated... but then they were standing out in the open in a cobbled street in the bright morning sunlight. "This is Diagon Alley boy," said the man in black robes. "And to you, I am Professor Snape, although you may address me as 'Sir' or 'Professor.'

"Yes sir," said Harry breathlessly. "H-how did you do that?"

"I understand how little you know," said Snape silkily. "I am a wizard, Potter, as are you." He paused as if waiting for an interruption, but Harry said nothing.

"Your parents were a witch and a wizard. Your name has been down for their old school since the day of your birth," Snape continued. "The headmaster has ordered me to introduce you to our world. Come we need to collect a small sum from your bank account to cover the expenses for your first year." They approached a huge white building, that towered above them. The effect of the stone was blindingly white, as white as snow. Harry had to avoid looking at it and concentrated instead upon the burnished bronze doors beside which there stood a short, stooped man with swarthy skin and long, clever looking fingers. "Good day thirs," he said and glanced quickly up at Harry, his glittering dark eyes taking in Harry's lightening shaped scar. He bowed as Snape pushed past the doors and then through a second set of silver doors where two similar little men bowed to them. "Am-am I dreaming?" Wondered Harry.

"You are not dreaming Potter," said Snape tersely. His voice lowered. "They are goblins, and when you meet a goblin, serious respect is due."

They were now in a vast, marble hall. Harry looked around him in stupefaction. There were at least a hundred small desks, at each of which sat a goblin either counting piles of coins, or talking to witches or wizards.

"A good day to you," said Snape smoothly, addressing a goblin at the desk nearest to them. "I wish to make a withdrawal from Harry Potter's bank vault."

"Thertainly," said the goblin. He turned his head. "Nidluk!" Another goblin hurried over. He bowed and gave Harry a grin. His white teeth contrasted starkly with his dark skin.

"Show Mithter Potter to hith vault, there'th a good fellow," said the first goblin.

"Follow me, if you please," piped Nidluk, and he led Harry and Snape through a wooden door and into a bare stone tunnel. "I must say, meeting you Harry Potter, ith an honour," he said, bowing to Harry.

"Thank you," gasped Harry, amazed that the goblin should even know his name.

Snape cleared his throat. "Ah yes Potter, as to that I will have to fill you in on a few things shortly," he said, "but for now, let's make haste Nidluk." Nidluk whistled and a small wooden cart came rushing up the tunnel towards them. They climbed in and the cart rushed down the tunnel and into the bowels of the Earth. It carried them through a vast underground cavern, where immediately below them, the icy waters of an underground river filled an expansive lake. Rocky stalactites hung from the cavern's ceiling and stalagmites towered around them. Once out of the cavern the cart stopped.

"The key if you pleathe," the goblin said to Snape.

Snape handed the goblin a small key, and the goblin unlocked a little stone door in the wall of the passage. There was a puff of glittering smoke and when it cleared, the three of them entered the vault. "This ith your account, Mr Potter," said the goblin, grinning. Harry was amazed. The bank vault was larger than Dudley's bedroom. There were heaps of bronze coins, columns of silver, mounds of gold. "Mr Potter may as yet be unacquainted with the currency, so I shall sort out enough for three terms expenses," said Snape producing a bag. Nidluk turned to Harry. "It's twenty-nine knuts, the bronze cointh to a sickle – that's a silver coin, and theventeen sickles to a galleon. A galleon is a gold coin," he instructed. One Nicolas Flamel was rethponthible for glutting the market with gold which is why it ith not worth as much these days."

Once they were back outside Gringotts, Snape turned towards a small dress shop across the cobbled path. "Sir," said Harry timidly, "I wanted to ask, what do you need to fill me in on?"

"Not now Potter," said Snape a touch brusquely. "I've got to make sure you have robes and then a wand, that is the most important consideration."

The shop's sign boasted that it was "Madam Malkin's robes for all occasions." As Harry and Snape entered, a young witch dressed in green bounded over to them. She gave a little squeal as she saw Harry. "Harry Potter," she gasped, "sorry," she added, squeezing his hand. "It's such an honour to serve you. What can I do for you, anything at all, just name it."

Snape scowled. "Mr Potter needs to be fitted with his school robes," he said rather sharply, "and be quick about it."

"Of course, of course," said the witch. And she ushered them into the back room of the shop.

There they saw a squat witch dressed in mauve holding up a small leather outfit and addressing a white-blond boy of Harry's own age and a tall and slender witch who Harry thought must be his mother. They looked round as Harry and Snape came in.

"Severus," exclaimed the witch, her face breaking into a smile. Young as he was Harry noticed that she was an extremely nice looking woman. Her white blond hair looked sleek and luxuriant and her clear violet blue eyes sparkled as she surveyed Harry. "I see you have an important charge Severus," she said. Her voice made Harry think of smooth lemon sundae and beautiful tropical beaches. Such a contrast to Petunia's...

"Narcissa and Draco too, always a pleasure," said Snape, extending a hand to shake Narcissa's slender white one. "Potter is here to be fitted with his school robes."

"Y-you have the most beautiful voice ma'am," gasped Harry although he had no idea what made him say it.

Narcissa beamed, "What a delightful child," she purred. Snape seemed to be about to speak, but Narcissa held up a hand as if to silence him. The witches who comprised the shop staff had remained silent throughout, but now the boy spoke. "Harry Potter!" he said, peering at Harry avidly, almost panting with his eagerness.

"That's right Draco, I expect you two will be great friends at Hogwarts," said Narcissa, "your father would wish that too," she added. "So Harry, dear," she said her voice like honey, "what would you say to visiting us this summer? I am sure Severus thinks it a brilliant idea?" She glanced at Snape who hastily agreed. "You must be so lonely without young wizards of your own age. I really want you to feel at home in the magical world. It is your rightful place." At that moment, nothing had ever sounded so wonderful to Harry's ears.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Two days later, Harry stood in the wide, oak panelled ante chamber in Malfoy Manor. "Harry, how wonderful you could make it," said Narcissa embracing him.

Snape stood nearby, "Well Narcissa I must be getting off, I have Hogwarts business to attend to," he said. Snape turned and left.

"Narcissa took Harry by the hand and they entered a magnificent library with shelves upon shelves of books and a roaring fire in a hearth at the end of the room. A tall wizard robed in black stood before them. He had shoulder length white hair and a cold steady expression. Harry could sense immediately that this was not someone to cross. His demeanour radiated calm power. Draco stood beside him and it was clear on seeing them together that this was Draco's father. "Good morning Harry Potter," he said. His voice displayed the same calm self-assurance as his gaze. "I trust I find you well. I hope you will enjoy your stay with us to the utmost. He gave a smile that did not reach his cold, steely grey eyes. "Draco will be delighted to show you his room first of all and then I can join you on our quidditch pitch."

Draco looked more subdued with his father than he had been in Diagon Alley. "Yes father," he said submissively. "Just wait Potter, you'll have the time of your life," he said, giving Harry a wink.

"But most important is the question of Harry being suitably refreshed," said Narcissa. "I was, quite frankly, shocked to learn of how those muggles have been treating him while he was away from the magical world." She placed a gentle hand on Harry's shoulder. Draco scowled. "Those muggles have hurt you have they Potter?" he asked. "Well I would like nothing better than to get them back." Harry swallowed. It felt so wonderful, yet so unexpected to have anyone speaking indignantly on his behalf. Snape hadn't done so, even when he had learned of how Harry had been treated at Number Four Privet Drive. Narcissa led the two boys into a small side room off the ante chamber. "Dobby!" She called imperiously. There was a crack and the next instant, a strange little humanoid appeared beside her. Harry stared. It was smaller than a goblin and had large, bat-like ears and a very long, thin nose, like a pencil. It was dressed in an old pillow case. Its bulging eyes looked apprehensive. "Yes Mistress?" It asked, in a tremulous, squeaking voice. Turning it saw Harry Potter and gave a squeal, almost falling over.

"Calm yourself, Dobby," said Narcissa sternly. "Harry Potter is our guest and you will do whatever he tells you while he is here, do you understand."

"Yes Mistress," said Dobby quickly, standing up again.

"Fetch Mr Potter bowl of lemon sherbet and then leave us," commanded Narcissa. Dobby bowed and there was another crack and a bowl of white, frothy liquid appeared in his little hand. He bowed and presented it to Harry and then vanished once more.

The sherbet was cool and frothy and made Harry feel suitably refreshed after the summer heat outside. "Have the muggles improved of late Harry?" Narcissa asked in an anxious tone. "I told Snape that they should never confine you to a cupboard again or any other such outrage."

"They were fine yesterday thanks," said Harry. "I think Snape must have frightened them into obeying him. He forced Uncle Vernon to serve me iced tea and let me use him as a footstool. But I wonder why he made Petunia read my Hogwarts admission letter over and over..."

"Good, I'm glad he did as I said," purred Narcissa. She embraced him, her slender white hands caressing the back of his head. Harry buried his face in her dress. Draco remained silent, but Harry wouldn't have cared if he had said anything. Nothing could embarrass him at this moment. This must be what it was like to have a real mother. "You should have been raised by a magical household who value you for the special boy you are Harry," she said fiercely and for the first time seeming tearful. "If _Dumbledore-_" she spat out the name as if it was a foul taste, "hadn't insisted on you being left with those muggles I – I would have applied to adopt you."

"And you would have fitted in with us Potter," said Draco, "your name and our blood status. What a combination we could have been."

"And yet the headmaster of Hogwarts decided I should be left with the Dursleys did he?" asked Harry, trying to digest this piece of information. He felt himself choking and hot tears prickled the back of his eyes.

"I'll never forgive Dumbledore for this," said Narcissa softly. She sat down in a chair and kept Harry clasped in her arms and rocked him. That moment seemed to Harry to last for a blissful eternity.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

_Author's Note: This chapter includes a recap of events between chapters 2 and 3 by demand __ Anyone else who wants to make demands, feel free... Narcissa wants to make a good impression on Harry. I think she would be more likely to succeed than Draco did in canon when he was acting alone._

"Your mum is very nice," Harry told Draco. They were in Draco's bedroom, playing tin soldiers. These particular tin soldiers however, were alive, and those in the toy fortress were actively defending it from the little silver figures which Harry had set to scale its walls.

"Of course," said Draco with a nod and a small smile. "There is no better witch anywhere."

"Everything began to go right for me the moment I saw her," Harry mused. "The Dursleys won't be putting me in a cupboard again that's for certain."

Harry recalled how events had progressed since he and Snape had met the Malfoys in Madam Malkins robe shop.

Recap beginning

Narcissa had insisted that they all visited Chunkley's restaurant in Diagon Alley. It was an expensive place. Undoubtedly it would have been beyond Snape's usual means, but Narcissa was standing it. Evidently money was no object to the Malfoys. Snape had said that if a wizard fainted at the prices, then Chunkley's would probably charge a galleon for a glass of water to slosh over him. Narcissa had just smiled and said she would be delighted if Harry and Snape were their guests. She ordered a main course of roasted hippogriff in cream sauce from the waitress in salmon pink robes and then initiated conversation. "And how _are_ the muggles treating Harry Severus?" Asked Narcissa, looking Snape in the eye. Snape took a breath.

"Well..." said Snape. "I did notice from my observations that the boy had been kept in the cupboard under the stairs..."

"The spare bedroom is used for Dudley's old junk," said Harry. "He has all sorts of rubbish except for a punch bag. He uses me for that."

"What?!" Exclaimed Narcissa. Her gaze hardened at Snape, so that her eyes resembled violet blue ice. "Did you know of this?"

"It's not as bad as periods of near starvation in the cupboard," said Harry.

"And Dumbledore knows of all this?" Asked Narcissa of Snape.

"Well Narcissa..." Snape shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Professor Dumbledore has stationed an elderly squib two streets away from the muggle residence to monitor the situation."

"An old squib?" Said Draco. "Dad was right. Dumbledore is well and truly cracked." Harry looked at Draco with some interest. He was not nearly so good looking as Narcissa. He was rather sharp faced and had steely grey eyes, with a cold expression. And yet he had the same irresistible air of fascination as his mother... had Harry been older....

"Dumbledore cracked? Mmmm I wonder..." said Narcissa, her face regaining its composure. "Well Severus, I believe we can quite easily put the muggles in their place."

"That is a very appropriate course of action Narcissa," said Snape inclining his head. "I will take Potter back to Surrey and teach those muggles a lesson, just as you wish."

Harry was brimming with excitement as Snape instructed him to brace himself for side along apparition once more. What lesson would the Dursleys learn?

There was a crack as Harry and Snape re-apparated in the kitchen of number four privet drive. "Why doesn't this come as a greater surprise to you?" Dudley asked Vernon and Petunia in amazement as they leapt to their feet.

"I demand you leave at once Sir and never return," roared Vernon to Snape.

"Let's keep this nice and succinct shall we Dursley?" Suggested Snape. He raised his wand and Vernon doubled over as if his insides were twisting in pain. "Now Dursley, will you act as Potter's servant whenever he returns here? Degrading it may be, but no worse than you can stand."

"I don't want Harry growing up like this wastrel of a father-" choked Vernon.

Snape lifted his wand and Vernon collapsed into a seat, wheezing. "I understand your concern Dursley, but don't let it trouble you anymore. A better witch than anyone here has made the decision."

Petunia had been watching in silence. Now she spoke, "I should have known you'd be back even after all this time," she hissed. "You were just another of those fools dazzled by my sister" she gave a shrill laugh, "Lily Sue's lapdog from Spinner's End," she said derisively. That proved to be a mistake. Snape seized her by the collar in one hand shook her hard, regardless of her shrieks. Vernon and Dudley were on their feet, Dudley making for the door, but Snape waved his wand with his free hand and the door shut and locked itself and Vernon was propelled back into a sitting position. "Oh why don't you tell everyone here the rest while you're at it?" said Snape in his silkiest voice. He withdrew a letter from his pocket. "I have a replica here. See, Vernon, Dudley," Snape brandished it before them. "Once Petunia aspired to be a witch. But Dumbledore had to kindly decline her application to Hogwarts."

"Not – true – never..." gasped Petunia as Snape showed Vernon the letter of rejection from Albus Dumbledore all those years previously. Snape dragged Petunia to the door. "Come you bony old mare," he said, "I think you would benefit by reading Potter's letter of acceptance to Hogwarts over and over again in private so you can understand that he is at least more worthy than you are. Then I think I'll duck your head in cold water to bring you to your senses and then you can retire for the evening. Vernon, Dudley, perhaps you could make us all some ice tea in the meantime...?"

Narcissa paid them all a visit later that night. The four were in the living room playing exploding snap. Vernon and Dudley maintained a crestfallen silence. Snape had kept them hard at work preparing a proper bedroom for Harry. They looked up as the serenely beautiful witch swept into the room. "Narcissa," said Snape as he and Harry got to their feet. Snape glared at Vernon and Dudley. "Rise and don't speak till you are spoken to," he said in a threatening tone. Narcissa's lip curled at the sight of the two muggles. Snape continued, "this is Madam Malfoy, but you will not address her without permission or it will be the worse for you both. The Malfoys are what you would call billionaires, just so you know. Narcissa has very kindly invited Harry to stay with them for the rest of the summer. But it is beneath her to even address such as you." Vernon made a choking sound.

"Thank you Severus," said Narcissa. She turned to Harry, "Harry dear, I just had to stop by and give you this." She handed him a tiny doll, with white blond hair just like hers. "It's my worry doll. A family heirloom. Just tell her your worries each night and by the morning they will disappear. I'm looking forward to your visiting us." She caressed his cheek and in that instant, Harry felt a moment of perfect serenity.

End Recap

Harry held the doll out in front of Draco. "She was right you know Malfoy. Your mother must be the most wonderful person in the world."

Draco smiled. "And you Potter, you really are more than just a famous name. Come on, I think dad will be ready. Just wait till I amaze you with my unearthly flying skills."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Snape ascended the spiralling staircase up to the headmaster's office. He entered the airy, circular room with its familiar collection of silvery instruments on spindly tables. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk as the golden sunlight streamed in through the windows. "Ah, Severus," he said, looking up and peering at Snape over his half moon spectacles. "How did it go?"

"Professor Dumbledore," Snape began, "do you know exactly how Potter has been treated by the Dursleys these past ten years?"

"I left Arabella Figg in charge of the situation," said Dumbledore dismissively, "have you seen my gameboy Severus?" Dumbledore held up a square box, with a tiny illuminated screen. "It is a muggle toy that I am rather fond of."

"No headmaster, I haven't," said Snape quietly, his black eyes narrowing beneath his fringe of greasy, black hair. Snape had been going to mention Harry's stay at Malfoy Manor to see if Dumbledore approved, but at this moment, he suddenly felt disinclined to do so.

In the grounds of Malfoy Manor, Draco hared towards the Quidditch pitch, with Harry close at his heels. "I really do want to try flying," said Harry. "And I am glad that there are no muggles here who would make fun of me if I were no good."

"Who cares for muggles?" said Draco contemptuously. Lucius appeared by the Quidditch pitch and the boys hurried towards him. He was holding a pair of broomsticks out for their inspection. Both brooms had bright yellow, glittering handles and the letters "Comet 260" emblazoned on them.

Lucius' cold eyes appeared to scrutinise Harry for a moment, but then he broke into smile. "I believe we can show Potter the delights of flying better than any other wizards, don't you agree Draco?" He asked.

"You bet," said Draco, "Potter, I haven't told you yet about how I escaped from these muggles in helicopters..."

"Save it for later," said Lucius genially. He handed the boys each a broom. The moment Harry grasped his, he felt it vibrating in his hands as if it really belonged to him and was filled with the urge to soar into the heavens.

"Now to start with, I think you should give Potter a demonstration Draco," Lucius said. "Just fly once around the pitch." Draco mounted his broom and soared twenty feet into the air, flying off around the perimeter of the grassy expanse that formed the pitch. Harry watched him and smiled as his silvery hair glinted in the sunlight. After circling the pitch, Draco alighted before them once again and dismounted his broom, breathing hard, his pale cheeks flushed. "Think you can do that Potter?" He asked. "I'll see," said Harry eagerly, and he mounted his broom and immediately took off. As he soared into the air he felt a thrill of exhilaration as the wind rushed through his hair and stung his cheeks. He could really do this and did not need to be taught. He barrel rolled in the air and formed a complicated figure of eight so that Lucius and Draco could see. He soared around the pitch at breakneck speed and then rocketed towards the azure sky, many times the height of Malfoy Manor so that the quidditch pitch became as small as a postage stamp and the whole of Wiltshire was spread out like a map below him. Then he plummeted back to Earth and halted with pinpoint accuracy a yard above the ground and then circled Draco at dizzying speeds before coming to a rest on the ground. Draco gaped at him in stupefaction. "And you have never flown before Potter?" Said Lucius, raising his eyebrows. "Well well well... that was a spectacular performance. Tell you what boys. Why don't I release a golden snitch, give it thirty seconds head start and then send you off to collect it. A thousand galleons to whichever of you catches it." Lucius reached down into a little cage beside his foot and brought out a gleaming gold sphere, about the size of a table tennis ball, with tiny silvery wings. He released it and it soared into the air and out of sight. "When I say go, you both take off," said Lucius. "Ready, steady – GO!" Harry and Draco soared into the air. Harry climbed high above the pitch once again and immediately spotted a glint of gold far below. He took a hundred foot dive and in an instant, was skimming immediately above the grassy pitch, with the snitch clutched in his hand, its wings flapping feebly. Harry solemnly presented it to Lucius. Draco, looking slightly disappointed, swooped down and dismounted. "You are quite remarkable Potter," said Lucius. "I have never come across anyone with such a natural aptitude for flying! If you were in our house at Hogwarts, you would be certain to be one of the best Seekers the Slytherin team has ever had."

"Oh it would be wonderful if you were in our house Potter!" Draco agreed enthusiastically.

"You're going to be in Slytherin House?" Said Harry. "Can you ask which house you are put in?"

"Well now, everyone is sorted on their first day by the old school Sorting Hat," said Lucius. "But no one really knows which house they will be in until they are actually sorted. Still, I am confident that Draco will be in Slytherin, everyone in our family has been. The hat made the decision instantaneously in my case. Slytherin house has the most noble history of any of the Hogwarts houses and produces the greatest witches and wizards."

"I hope I'm in Slytherin," said Harry.

"So do I," said Draco.

That evening, when the boys had gone to bed, Narcissa and Lucius were discussing Harry. They were in the drawing room, and the dying embers of the hearth fire cast flickering shadows on the tapestries on the walls. Lucius raised a crystal goblet of emerald liquor in acknowledgement to his wife and then drunk deeply. "I am pleased you secured Harry Potter's devotion to us, Narcissa," he said when he had put the goblet down. "You have a conniving mind that surpasses even your beauty."

"I genuinely _do_ feel a great fondness for the boy," said Narcissa, brushing a strand of silvery hair from her face. "He is so helpless in a way... and so grateful just for someone to take an interest in him. It is endearing. And yet look how he can fly with no tuition or having even seen a broomstick. Remarkable."

"That's the right spirit," agreed Lucius. "It should be a great boost for our household to have the darling of the wizarding world as our own."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Draco and Harry discussed Quidditch late into the night. Harry had been given an ornate four poster bed, identical to Draco's own, that had been conjured in Draco's palatial bedroom. Harry calculated that the whole of number four Privet Drive could have fitted into Draco's bedroom quite comfortably. The four posters were hung with dark green velvet drapes and the wood of their frames had writing serpents carved into them.

"So let's get this straight Malfoy," said Harry, "in Quidditch it is the Seeker that gets the Snitch, and that scores 150 points as well as winning the game... so all the points the other players can earn is pocket change by comparison?"

"About right," Draco acquiesced. "I could play Seeker, but you would always be chosen for the position before me." He sighed. Harry decided to shift the subject.

"About these wands," he said, "it's great to get them as a kind of coming of age thing. Though the old man who sells them is a bit creepy."

"Ollivander? Yes, he is creepy," agreed Draco. "My wand has a unicorn tail hair," he said, holding it aloft. The wand emitted a faint silvery glow.

"I would like to see a unicorn someday," said Harry. "Mr Ollivander certainly likes going on about former customers, doesn't he?"

"You bet he does," said Draco, "it must be a sales pitch. He was eager to remind mother that he had sold her her unicorn tail hair wand and my father a dragon heart string wand."

"He told me the types and the lengths of the wands he sold my mum and dad," said Harry, his voice trembling a little. Draco looked away as Harry wiped his eye on the corner of the continental quilt. "And then he started rambling about the wizard who killed my parents," said Harry, feeling disquieted as he recalled it. "And how my wand has a tail feather from the same phoenix which gave the core to Voldemort's yew wand. I can't imagine what he meant by it.

Draco peered at Harry, narrowing his grey eyes. "You are amazing though Potter," he said. "I have never met anyone like you before. Dad will want granddad to meet you. Grandad is a bit scary but don't worry."

"Oh!" exclaimed Harry. "Lucius didn't mention your granddad lives here too."

"I think he is the only person my dad is a bit afraid of," said Malfoy. "He is the titular owner of Malfoy Manor though. But he has become a bit peculiar to be honest and spends most of his time shut up in his private wing of the Manor. Mostly he only lets mum bring him his meals. Even though it is dad who is his son, _she _is the only person he trusts."

At that moment, there was a soft knock at the bedroom door and Narcissa entered the room, the light from the landing illuminating her long hair, which shone faintly, like white gold. She was holding a tray. "Still awake boys?" She said softly. "Here are drinks for the refreshment of spirits." She gave them each a crystal goblet. Harry's seemed to give off an aroma of treacle. He took a swig and immediately felt soothed. "It tastes of our favourite things," said Narcissa with a smile.

"Tell us a story to help us sleep mother?" Suggested Draco.

"At this time?" Asked Narcissa. "Oh very well then," she added with a smile. She lifted the globular lamp from the mantel piece and breathed on it. It floated high in the air, towards the ceiling and then illuminated the room with a bright silvery light, like a full Moon.

Narcissa sat down in a velvet armchair and took a leather bound book of children's stories from the bookcase near the window. She began to read them a story of a pure blooded prince, oppressed by wicked muggles, who then rose and beat all muggles into submission. Harry felt that it was meant in part for him. But immediately before he fell asleep he whispered to his worry doll about the fear that he might not be sorted into Slytherin. The Malfoys' house at Hogwarts.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

"Harrumph, Harry Potter, well it is an honour to have one already so great in our household," said Abraxas Malfoy, peering at Harry through bleary eyes the following day.

"Thank you sir," said Harry timidly. It was the following morning and the Malfoys had taken Harry to visit Abraxas, the owner of the Malfoy properties, in his private quarters. They were visiting him in his private study, but at this moment, the place was very dingy and reeked of liquor. The ancient wizard was nearly bald, with just a few wisps of white hair adhering to his head. He had a wispy white beard and a sanguine complexion. His watery blue eyes raked Harry's forehead, settling on the scar.

"Mmm a good boy aren't you?" Rumbled Abraxas. He grasped the cobra headed shaped handle of his silver walking cane and staggered towards Lucius. "I expect Harry Potter is a better boy than you are sir," he said, sounding suddenly stern; glaring at Lucius who stood impassively and without flinching.

"Dad-" said Narcissa tentatively laying a gentle arm on Abraxas' shoulder. "Mm good gel-" mumbled Abraxas. "And Harry," he said, raising his voice again. "You better be in Slytherin, you hear? It is the best house... the best house..."

"Abraxas isn't so bad Draco," said Harry an hour later as they were following Narcissa to the picnic spot in the Malfoy gardens.

"Like I said, he has gone a little bit funny these days," said Draco.

"Here we are boys," said Narcissa brightly. They were in a picturesque glade surrounded by brightly coloured flowers. A still pool of water lay beside them. It may have been some property of the rocks beneath the surface, but the water appeared bright pink. "What a pretty pond," said Harry.

"It is one of the rainbow ponds Harry," said Narcissa beaming. "There are others in glades nearby. Now, for our picnic. Dobby!" She called. There was a crack and Dobby appeared, staggering under the weight of a huge basket. "Leave the basket here and then go back to your duties," commanded Narcissa. Dobby laid the basket on the grass, bowed low and then disappeared again with another crack. Narcissa opened the basket and handed out exotic fruit and bottles of butterbeer to the boys. As the three of them began to eat Harry noticed a little splash coming from the pond. "Oh that'll be a sprite," said Draco casually. Harry's eye was caught by a large yellow flower the petals of which opened to reveal a long red stamen, like a tongue.

"It's a snap dragon," said Narcissa, throwing it a piece of cake. The flowers tongue snaked round the piece of cake and the plant withdrew. Suddenly a little silver face framed with lank, weed coloured hair emerged from the pink coloured water. "Oh ho there Harry Potter," it squeaked.

"How do you know my name?" Asked Harry.

"I wonder; I really didn't think sprites to be all that intelligent," said Narcissa.

"Shall I tell you how I make everyone happy?" Asked the sprite. "I fill the world with frogs." And suddenly the sprite threw what looked like a tiny black frog at Narcissa's head. She gave a little cry, but Harry leapt up and caught the frog in the palm of his hand. It croaked as it sat in his palm, Harry could feel its tiny heart ticking and then it vanished. So to did the sprite.

"Thank you Harry dear," said Narcissa.

"Something must be done about the sprite infestation!" said Draco.

"Look at this flower," said Harry, kneeling down and taking a bright blue flower from the side of the pool. "This is a very rare flower – just like you," said Harry, handing the plant to Narcissa who gave a silvery laugh and placed the flower neatly behind one ear. The sun rose in the sky and from that day, the summer unfolded to be the best one in Harry's living memory.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

September 1st saw the Malfoy's and Harry arrive at platform 9 ¾. Narcissa hugged and kissed Harry and Draco goodbye, looking in danger of breaking down in tears. She urged them to write everyday. Lucius bade them goodbye in his usual reserved manner, wishing them well for the Sorting. Two boys that Harry and Draco had met briefly in the summer came up to them as they were about to alight aboard the Hogwart's Express. "Hello Crabbe, Goyle," said Draco. "Come on, help us get our trunks in..." Crabbe and Goyle huffed and puffed pushing the heavy trunks belonging to Harry and Draco.

"I must say I am glad that you are going to Hogwarts after all, rather than Durmstrang Malfoy," said Harry, glancing at Draco. "I'm not sure about how I would feel going to a school with that awful Dumbledore as headmaster otherwise."

Draco gave his characteristic tight lipped smile. "We ought to own Slytherin House between us Potter," he said. "Come one let's find a compartment." Soon Harry and Draco found a compartment and were accompanied by Crabbe and Goyle. Both of these boys were heavy and thickset. On their looks, Harry would have liked neither. But they were really being helpful and Harry dismissed his feelings of dislike as uncharitable and groundless. Soon a trolley of refreshments arrived, pushed by a dumpy witch and Draco bought a sample of everything it carried and distributed it among the four of them.

"Thank you Draco," said Harry.

"You know what to expect with every flavour beans now Potter," said Draco. "Goyle – oh Goyle!" Goyle had gathered up all the vomit flavoured beans and swallowed them, causing him to retch. Crabbe guffawed.

"Are you Okay Goyle?" Asked Harry. Goyle nodded and grinned in a gormless fashion.

The Hogwarts expressed chugged and chuffed along, leaving the cramped and dirty houses of London far behind. "I must say this was the best summer ever," said Harry enthusiastically. "Your mum is wonderful Draco, and it was so thoughtful of both your parents to get me a Nimbus 2000 for my birthday. The most the muggles ever got me was a coat hanger and a pair of old socks."

Draco shook his head, "frankly I am not sure I want to know any more about muggles."

"Muggles are scum – fit only for death," said Crabbe.

"Okay..." said Draco, "And Dad is right Potter, you are certain to make the house team. It was only necessary for him to tell Snape of your incredible performances on our quidditch pitch."

"Potter for quid-ditch capt'in... yeaahhhh" said Goyle jumping up and down in his seat. Harry clapped him on the back.

There was a stumbling outside and a boy of their own age entered the compartment. He was tall and thin and gangling, with bright red hair and a long nose. "Is Harry Potter here?" He asked, "I was told that he was..." he stopped as his eyes alighted on Harry, noticing the scar on his forehead.

"And what concern is it of yours?" said Draco, raising his eyebrows. "Potter is not a zoo exhibit to be stared at. There is no need to ask who you are. Red hair and no manners. You must be a Weasley." Crabbe and Goyle guffawed. Weasley, chagrined, left the compartment. "You will find that some of the old wizarding households are much better than others Potter," said Draco, "the Weasleys are all blood traitors. Best to have nothing to do with them."

The train sped on and outside the dusk began to gather. Their compartment was visited at intervals by other pure blooded children who already knew Draco. One, a short, skinny boy called Theodore Nott, seemed especially interested in Harry, but remained reserved in his demeanour, not asking any probing questions of the kind that tended to get Draco indignant on Harry's behalf. While the train was winding through high mountains there was a knock at the door and a girl of their own age entered. Harry jumped. She really was the ugliest girl he had ever seen. He could tell she was wearing braces – necessary given how crooked her teeth were, but Draco had never seen braces before. "What's happened to your mouth!" Asked Draco, his grey eyes wide with shock.

"She's wearing braces," said Harry, "that's the muggle way of setting crooked teeth straight."

The girl pushed her bushy brown hair away from her face. "You really are very rude," she said, her eyes narrowing. Her voice was of a pitch to pierce Harry's eardrums. Almost as bad as Petunia's.

"The muggle way?" Interpolated Malfoy. "You mean you are a mudblood? I would ask you to get out of this carriage then."

Crabbe and Goyle rose to their feet. The girl glared at them and flounced off. "What is Hogwarts coming to?" said Draco, shaking his head. "Durmstrang would not admit that kind of riffraff. Dumbledore must be actively trying to make Hogwarts a hellhole. Oh look we must be nearly there. Come on, let's get our Hogwarts robes on."

Meanwhile, at Malfoy Manor, Lucius was consoling Narcissa who was sitting, still crying at the oak table in the Malfoy's dining room. "I don't know if I can bear Draco being away most of the time from now on," she sobbed. "And to think I won't be able to kiss either boy goodnight tonight, or see their jet black and silver heads on the pillows..." she broke into another sob. She looked up again. The soft, warm glow of the lamplight illuminated her tear stained face. At times like these she looked even more beautiful than usual. "I think I know how to comfort you Narcissa," said Lucius, feeling the glow of passion igniting inside him. Suddenly the lamps flickered and their light died. The room was left in pitch blackness. "Oh what in Slytherin's name is this now?" Asked Lucius irritably. "A wizard's domicile should never get power cuts!"

But at that moment the lamps flared once again, with a dull, red light and the fire ignited in the grate with bloody and malicious flames. Not the fine flame of an ordinary fire. Narcissa gave a little scream and Lucius gasped. A wizard now stood in the Malfoy's dining room. He towered, head and shoulders above even Lucius. He was garbed all in black. He stood staring at them. His terrible face was whiter than a skull and his wide, unblinking eyes seemed to gleam red in the firelight. They had slits for pupils, like a snake's.

"Sso," hissed the dark wizard. "I ssee my once mossst faithful servant was not eagerly awaiting my return..."

**Author's Note: Yes Voldemort is back! How he came back so early, and without the Philosopher's stone will be revealed in the following chapters!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

"Now it'ss dark," said Voldemort. Lucius and Narcissa gripped each other's hands tightly. The room was in a state of near darkness, but the Hellish light of the fire cast flickering shadows on all the walls. He lifted one of the goblets of emerald liquor from the table and quaffed it. "Well how about a toasst to the return of your old Master Luciuss?" He suddenly squeezed on the crystal goblet, causing it to shatter.

Lucius fell to his knees and Narcissa hastily followed his example. "Master," croaked Lucius, "how did you achieve this – this miracle. How have you conquered death?"

"Ah Luciuss what a story it iss," said Voldemort silkily. "But oh Luciuss you were one of little faith to believe I could ever die! I have a new Death Eater who desserves the highest accolades now. Enter Quirrell." A young wizard entered the room. He looked quite pale and was trembling. "Faithful Quirrell assisted my return from the state of living death I have endured thessse past ten years!" Said Voldemort.

"I have never and will never renounce your ways master," said Lucius still trembling. Narcissa instinctively shuffled over to her husband and put an arm around him. Voldemort's demonic eyes bored into Lucius' mind. He felt them drilling into his head so that all his secrets were laid bare... "Excellent that you have kept the diary ssafe all these years Lucius," said Voldemort. "Quirrell is going to use it. He will be a teacher at Dumbledore'ss school this academic year. Fetch the diary Luciuss, Quirrell is in a hurry, he is already running late for the sstart of term feast."

Lucius rose to his feet, Narcissa's arm linked in his own. "Who could be worthy of using your diary master? The ingenious device that will allow the Chamber of Secrets to be opened once more?" He asked.

"It requiresss no one special," Voldemort replied. "Someone with a defective mind preferably and of a young age, a faint disappointment to their parentssss. So mosst likely a little girl." Lucius blinked in bewilderment.

"I am pleasssed that you have already endeared yourself to Harry Potter, Lucius," said Voldemort. Narcissa gave a little start. Voldemort's snake like mouth formed a terrifying smirk. "You have a conniving mind that iss always so... usseful."

**Change of scene: Hogsmeade Station:**

"We're here," said Draco.

It was dark at Hogsmeade station. Harry and Draco stepped onto the platform, followed by Crabbe and Goyle. Harry shivered. It was much chillier at night in the north of Scotland than in London. A huge man with a wild, bushy black beard and unkempt hair was calling for first years. "Who is that?" asked Harry narrowing his eyes.

"I think it might be Hagrid," said Draco. "He is a sort of savage who Dumbledore keeps in the Hogwarts grounds. He's Dumbledore's lackey, that's for certain." Harry peered at Hagrid in dislike.

"All righ'," Hagrid said. "You all best be followin' me, now, first years, we're goin' across the lake."

Hagrid motioned for the crowd of first years to follow and then strode down a sloping path. He carried a huge bright blue lantern to light the way. Within a minute the crowd of first years found themselves on the shore of a vast lake and there, on the opposite shore, there stood silhouetted against the night sky, an immense castle, with many turrets and towers, its windows twinkling with lights like many stars. The first years gave an audible gasp. On the shoreline there lay a fleet of small, wooden boats with lanterns at their bows. Harry, Malfoy Crabbe and Goyle all clambered into one of the boats. Then of their own accord, the boats pushed off from the shoreline with a scraping sound and ploughed forward over the still surface of the lake. Harry looked around across the measureless expanse of water. The boats were apparently being propelled forwards at considerable speed by some unknown force. "This is it," said Draco, "our symbolic entry to Hogwarts. I wonder why they leave it to that great oaf to organise though. Still, perhaps he is not the worst thing to happen to Hogwarts. Professor Kettleburn, the Care of Magical Creatures professor is supposed to be similar, but to a more extreme extent."

"Oh, how?" Asked Harry.

"Well," said Draco, "he throws students into lion pits to toughen them up, gave third years a chimera to fly on their first day, and made sixth years hunt a centaur for their final exam. He lives in a leaf pile behind Hagrid's hut and subsists on Hagrid's garbage. He once made three kids visit him almost every day and fed them mud pies and bits of concrete and attempted suicide if they didn't show up. His letters are so encrusted with tears, blood, and sweat that they are always illegible, but he can only write one word ("TEA") so his three "friends" knew what it meant. He fed one to a Manticore when she didn't take COMC as a NEWT. The school pays him in gin, ten bottles a week."

"A man can't help being an idiot," said Harry reasonably. "Blame Dumbledore, who puts these people in jobs which they can't do."

"I agree completely Potter," said Draco.

When the fleet of boats reached the other side of the lake, a cave in the cliff face glowed ahead. As they drew nearer it became apparent that the cave was lit from within by some strange property of the rocks, which glimmered with a pale light. The boats cruised in, and made their way to several docks at the end. Hagrid motioned for all the students to disembark onto the piers. He stepped ahead of them, and led the way up a carved stone staircase that led to a huge wooden door and knocked three times.

The doors swung open straight away to reveal tall witch with black hair constrained in a tight bun. She surveyed the first years. She had a very severe looking face. "Good evening first years and welcome to Hogwarts," she said. "Follow me," Professor McGonagall led the first years into a cavernous stone entrance hall. Opposite the large doorway, a magnificently sculpted marble staircase led up to the floors above. McGonagall then ushered the first years into a stone chamber off the hall, and began to deliver a lecture on the sorting ceremony and the houses at Hogwarts. Harry knew about the houses already. Slytherin was the best. The right and only choice as far as he was concerned. Suddenly he felt a searing pain across his scar and clapped his hand to his forehead. "You OK Potter?" Hissed Draco. Harry nodded. The pain had vanished as soon as it had come. McGonagall departed, leaving the first years in the stone chamber. "I know you are nervous Potter, but don't let it get to you," said Draco. "Someone with your importance can only be sorted into Slytherin."

"What are we going to have to do?" Asked the Weasley boy. "Fred said something about wrestling a troll."

"Can you believe him!" said Draco. "Coming from a household with any number of brothers already having started at Hogwarts and he doesn't even know about the sorting ceremony! We just have to try on the school Sorting Hat you imbecile," he called.

Weasley probably would have made a sharp retort, but at that moment, Professor McGonagall returned and led them back into the entrance hall and then through an oak panelled corridor and into the Great Hall. There were audible gasps from the first years as they saw the Entrance Hall for the first time. It was illuminated by thousands of floating candles and although Harry already knew the ceiling was merely enchanted to resemble the sky outside, he thought it really did look as if it opened straight out onto the heavens. Professor McGonagall conjured a stool upon which she placed a dilapidated old hat. She stood to one side, unrolling a long ream of parchment. A rip near the brim of the hat opened like a mouth and the hat began to sing.

"_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in the flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The entire hall burst in to applause when the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

"Abbott, Hannah!" Professor McGonagall called.

A girl with blond pigtails rushed forwards almost stumbling over her own feet. She seated herself on the stool and placed the hat on her head. The hat was too big for her and fell right down over her eyes.

There was a moment's pause.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat shouted.

The Hufflepuff table cheered as Hannah went to take a seat there.

Professor McGonagall continued to call their names out in alphabetical order.

Crabbe and Goyle were both sorted into Slytherin. Harry felt a stab of envy for them. Then came the turn of the gruesome girl they had seen on the train whose name it seemed was Hermione Granger. She ran up to the stool and shoved the hat onto her head. "RAVENCLAW!" Announced the hat. Hermione went over to the Ravenclaw table, looking slightly disappointed. Daphne Greengrass was called next and was sorted into Slytherin. As she went over to the Slytherin table, she waved at Draco to indicate recognition. "I saw her once at Christmas when we were doing things in style at home one year," muttered Draco.

McGonagall continued reading down the list of names. When Draco's name was called he gave Harry a reassuring clap on the back and then swaggered forward. The hat had scarcely touched his head when it screamed; "SLYTHERIN." Theodore Nott was also sorted into Slytherin. Not long now...

"Potter, Harry," called McGonagall. Harry felt very self-conscious as he walked towards the Hat. Everyone was craning to get a look at him. Whispers and hissing erupted all over the great hall. "Potter did she say? The Harry Potter?" McGonagall placed the hat over his head and the hall was obscured from his sight.

Harry waited a little while, his heart pounding. _Slytherin, I want to be in Slytherin_, he thought, gritting his teeth. A little voice sounded in his ear.

"Slytherin eh? I think that is a good choice. You have plenty of courage, but there is one house that can best help you on the way to greatness. SLYTHERIN!" Harry heard it yell the last word to the whole hall. He took the hat off, feeling shaky with relief. He tottered towards the Slytherin table, where Draco was already preparing a seat for him. There was a certain amount of muttering as well as lukewarm applause from the other three houses. At least half of Slytherin House were cheering uproariously though. Harry plumped down in the seat Draco had prepared for him. "I knew you'd do it Potter," said Draco. "Just wait, with your name and my blood status we will rule here, make no mistake." Soon the hat sorted Zabini, Blaise into Gryffindor and McGonagall took the hat away and rolled up the parchment. A tall wizard with an enormous bushy white beard who had been sitting at the head table rose to his feet. Harry already knew it could only be Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster. He didn't want to hear anything from the old wizard except an apology for dumping him in Privet Drive when the Malfoy's could have taken him as their own...

Dumbledore beamed, "Before the feast begins I have a few well chosen words," he told them. "And here they are; Nitwit, Blubber, Oddment, Tweak, thank you."

"Oh wonderful, Albus Dumblesnore or what?" said Draco, shaking his head. Harry curled his lip in contempt for the old fool. Suddenly the plates became filled with an enticing display of savoury food. "Ah good, Yorkshire pudding like we had last week," said Harry, placing some on his golden plate. The ghost of a gaunt wizard covered in silver bloodstains swooped over to them. He stared at Harry's forehead with his cold eyes. "Welcome to Slytherin House Mr Potter, yes very welcome indeed," he said. "I am the Bloody Baron. It is an honour to have one already so great in my own house."

"Well thank you sir," said Harry.

"And hello to you Draco Malfoy," said the Bloody Baron. "I have known your entire family. Give my regards to Narcissa, she was a lovely girl." Draco smiled. The Bloody Baron glared at Crabbe and Goyle. "Oh what is this? How can Slytherin House admit such useless specimens as you two?" he sneered. "You would have been better suited to Hufflepuff. But you Potter," he said, "are already an inspiration to everyone here. I'll see they all acknowledge it." The Bloody Baron stayed with them all through the main course, continuing to give them advice and criticising Crabbe and Goyle even more. A very pretty first year girl with long, sleek black hair and large, deep black eyes hailed Harry. "I wanted to check if you really are Harry Potter, for I must know," she said, and leaving her seat, squeezed between Harry and Draco. "I dreamed of this moment," she whispered, her dark eyes widening as they took in Harry's scar. "Please let me touch it Harry, I really want to be friends with you..."

"You have a weird way of making friends!" Said Draco.

"Alright, you can touch it," said Harry. The girl placed a delicate, white finger onto his lightening shaped scar. She let out a sigh. "My name is Diana Winters if you want to know."

"I'll call you Di if you don't mind," said Harry.

"There will be those who want to be more than your friend, but be warned that you made a lot of enemies when you became so great," said Di.

"Harry Potter does not need a child to tell him that, girl," said the Bloody Baron. Di looked up at him and swallowed, a pink tinge coming to her smooth white cheeks.

"And stop crowding my famous friend, Okay," said Draco.

"I'll talk to you anytime you want to talk to me Harry Potter," said Di and she returned to her seat, but continued to shoot little glances at Harry. Harry looked the other way up the House table. An ugly, heavy looking boy from one of the years above was glaring at him.

"I wonder what's wrong with him," muttered Harry.

"I'll deal with this Harry Potter," said the Bloody Baron, and swooped over to the boy in question who looked as if he received a nasty shock from the Baron's attentions.

Eventually the remains of the main course faded away and then the puddings appeared. Harry grabbed a treacle tart and ate with enthusiasm. "You certainly love your treacle Potter," said Draco.

"Treacle," whispered Di. Harry looked over to see she was looking at him with a kind of ardour in her gaze. He shrugged and turned his attentions to the treacle tart once more.

When the puddings were all finished, Dumbledore rose to his feet again. "Oh no, I don't think I can listen to more of an old idiot's drivel," muttered Harry.

"Don't worry, I know how you feel," said Malfoy. "He's dictating to us how we can't do magic in corridors!"

Dumbledore concluded his speech: "And please all welcome back Professor Quirrell, formerly our Muggle studies professor, who will now be taking on the role of Defence Against the Dark Arts Master," There was a smattering of polite applause from around the Hall.

"I bet Snape doesn't like this," murmured Draco. "He is better qualified to teach about the Dark Arts, dad knows it."

"And now for the school song!" said Dumbledore. Harry noticed the other teachers' smiles had become fixed and Snape seemed to grimace. "Everyone pick your favourite tune!" Called Dumbledore. The Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs burst into raucous and discordant shouting:

"_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,  
Teach us something, please,  
Whether we be old and bald  
Or young with scabby knees,  
Our heads could do with filling  
With some interesting stuff,  
For now they're bare and full of air,  
Dead flies and bits of fluff,  
So teach us things worth knowing,  
Bring back what we've forgot,  
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,  
And learn until our brains all rot."_

"This is absolutely ridiculous," said Draco, shaking his head. "Doesn't he realise how unfunny he is?"

Finally no one was left singing besides a pair of redheaded boys at the Gryffindor table who were singing along to a slow funeral march with Dumbledore conducting their lines with his wand. Everyone at the Slytherin table was rolling their eyes. "What a painful display of sucking up," Draco observed.

Finally it was time to go to the Slytherin Common Room and the first years followed a wiry Slytherin prefect, Terrence Higgs out of the Great Hall. The returned to the entrance Hall, then filed down a stone stairway down into bare stone passageway which led down into a subterranean complex. The way was lit by blazing torches. Eventually they reached an expanse of damp stone wall. "This is where you have to give the password," said Higgs curtly. "Herpo," he declared, and the wall shifted aside with a rumbling grating sound and they all followed Higgs into the Slytherin Common Room.

The Slytherin Common Room was a long, low, underground room, lit by lamps that gave off a ghostly green light. There were unpleasantly detailed carvings of skulls in set in the walls and stalactites hung from the ceiling, giving the impression of an underground cavern. The ornate tables and chairs seemed to be carved out of the living rock. A fire was blazing in a magnificent carved fireplace to the left hand side of the common room. Professor Snape was waiting for them. "Thank you Higgs," he said, "I'll take it from here." Higgs walked off towards one of the exits at the far end of the cavern. "Take seats by the fire first years, I have a few rules to lay down for you," said Snape. The first years traipsed towards the fire. Di grasped Harry by the hand. "Sit next to me Harry?" she suggested.

"Don't bother him," said Draco, taking Harry's other hand and pulling him over to a black leather armchair upon which they both squeezed together. When they were seated, Snape addressed them.

"Welcome to Slytherin House first years. Two of you I already know," his gaze settled on Harry and Draco briefly for a moment. Snape continued; "Slytherin has won the house cup for six years running, and I expect you all to contribute to our victory for a seventh year in a row. I will be very disappointed if any of you let us down," he added softly. A couple of the first years shifted. "I mean it first years. And if I have any complaints about any of you brought before me you will regret it. Now if you should have any serious problems, and by that I mean real catastrophes, come to my office and let me know, but I shall be greatly displeased if it is something that could have been left to a prefect instead. One final thing; although first years are not generally entitled to try out for the house Quidditch tournament, I understand that Harry Potter here has shown an aptitude for the game." Snape gestured towards Harry. "You have my permission to attend the first try out Potter." The other first years gazed at Harry. Draco glared at them. "Also, in Slytherin house we have our own Jacuzzis and swimming pool, but the latter can of course only be used by those who can swim unless non swimmers are suicidal," Snape smirked. "Now it is time for you to retire to bed, for you all have a busy week ahead of you," he told them. They followed Snape to the far end of the common Room. "Boy's dormitories through that gate," said Snape, pointing to a steel gate to his right. "And girls dormitories through that one," he said, pointing to the gate at his left. "First year dormitories are at the bottom. Good night." Snape swept off, his black robes billowing behind him.

"Good night Harry," said Di, waving at Harry. Daphne Greengrass gave him a smile and a nod and then the boys and girls went to their separate dormitories. The five Slytherin first year boys trekked down a spiralling stone staircase that wound deeper and deeper into the roots of the mountains. They passed landing after landing that led, Harry surmised, to other dormitories. Harry thought they seemed to be climbing down to the bottom of an inverted tower. Finally they reached the bottom. They were on a bare stone floor, with the huge stairwell above them. To one side was a heavy wooden door with the words, Jacuzzi, emblazoned in gold and to the other was a similar door with the words "First Year Dormitory" in silver letters. The five of them filed into the dormitory and found a green carpeted room with elegant four posters, although not as ornate as the ones in Malfoy Manor. The room felt pleasantly warm. It gave Harry the feeling of stepping into a warm bath after the draughty stairway outside. "Let's get one thing clear," said Draco. "I am head of this dorm seeing as I am from the most prominent wizarding family. But Harry Potter is my best friend as long as he lives so you had better give him equal respect or answer to my father who is a governor. Understand?" Draco glared round at Crabbe, Goyle and Nott who nodded in acquiescence. The boys climbed into bed and Harry drew his green, velvet bed hanging shut. He fell asleep almost immediately, forgetting to whisper to his worry doll. His dreams were troubled. He was wading through deep water and his head was hurting so badly and a blood curdling hiss seemed to come from his own throat; "ssoon Luciusss I will purge Hogwarts of all mudblood filth, and very ssoon Harry Potter will be mine."

**Author's Note:** I do not own the Sorting Hat Song, that is also JK Rowling's exclusive property along with everything Harry Potter. I am not sure that the school song is very creditable though.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

The next morning in the Great Hall, Di attempted, once again to squeeze between Harry and Draco. When Draco wouldn't move she sat down on Harry's other side. "Sleep well Harry?" She asked.

A Slytherin third year boy sitting nearby guffawed. "How do you do it Potter? She's easily the hottest girl in your year." He jeered. "Just wait till she's curvier."

Di's face flushed crimson. Draco raised an eyebrow. "Do you think we'll ever get like that?" he asked Harry.

"Nah," replied Harry, spooning porridge and treacle into his mouth.

At that moment, the Malfoy's huge eagle owl swooped onto the table, dropping a double care package for Harry and Draco from Narcissa, containing boxes of sweets and living zoetrope comics. "Oops, we forgot to write last night," said Harry guiltily. "But I was really tired..."

A Slytherin fifth year walking past them made a rude hand gesture at Harry. Di hissed like an angry cat and Draco whipped round. "What does he think he's about?" Said Draco in high indignation.

"That's Travers," said an older girl across the table, looking up from her bowl of prunes. "His dad was arrested for being a Death Eater many years ago..." she sighed and shook her head.

"Well the Bloody Baron's on your side Potter," said Draco. "I'm going to tell him. He'll give Travers the fright of his life. I'm going to write to father too, Travers is going to learn a lesson." Harry felt a twinge of unease. The idea that he really had made enemies before his living memory really started to sink in and he didn't like it one bit. Although was it before his living memory. He still had nightmares of a flash of searing green light, hollow laughter and a burning pain across his forehead. He had not even told Narcissa about this. That nightmare he had had last night... somehow they were linked. They both made his skin crawl.

"Herbology now," said Draco, "we're with the Ravenclaws."

The Slytherins traipsed over the curved lawns towards the greenhouses. Harry and Draco walked flanked by Crabbe and Goyle. The girls were following them and Harry was aware of Di's dark eyes settling on him from time to time. The Slytherins entered the greenhouse and their senses were assailed by a powerful reek of fertiliser and manure. The air was distinctly humid. Harry wished it were possible to loosen his Hogwarts robes. Herbology was taken by Professor Sprout, the head of Hufflepuff house. "Imagine being in Hufflepuff, the dumping house," muttered Draco. Harry suppressed a snigger.

Professor Sprout was a plump, cheerful witch with flyaway grey hair. "Good morning first years," she said with a grin. "Welcome to Herbology. To start with, we'll be doing a simple exercise in planting emetic tuber, now who can tell me the properties of an emetic tuber?"

Hermione Granger leapt up and down her arm jerking spasmodically. "Have you ever seen anything so horrendous that you were mesmerised by it and couldn't look away?" said Draco trembling, his eyes almost starting from his sockets at the sight.

"Yes Granger?" Said Professor Sprout.

"Emetic tubers are a basic cure for mild poisoning," recited Hermione. "They cause all poisons recently ingested to be vomited back up. They come in different colours and potencies. The most fierce being the chocolate tuber."

"Excellent, take five points for Ravenclaw," said Professor Sprout.

"Who needs an emetic tuber with her around?" muttered Draco.

"Now divide into fours and begin," said Professor Sprout. Harry and Draco paired with a couple of Ravenclaw girls who introduced themselves as Lisa Turpin and Leah Goldstein.

"So how are you finding Hogwarts Harry?" Asked Leah.

"Hogwarts is great," said Harry. He turned his gaze towards Draco. "I think the best part of my life is here."

Leah brushed her long red hair away from her face. "It is exciting isn't it?" she said. "Ravenclaw house has its own library. You could come and visit it anytime, you just have to answer a koan at the door to the common room."

Draco made a noise suggesting incredulity. "No you girls, just ... knock yourselves out if I may use the phrase," he said.

Lisa Turpin wrinkled her freckled nose at him in semi disgust and resumed potting the tuber. It was a bright green and wriggled slightly as soil was piled on it.

"That Hermione Granger is a show off," said Harry.

"Yes," said Leah pensievely. "You know, there is a tradition in Ravenclaw of playing pranks on girls who don't quite fit in... it involves setting them puzzles by hiding their stuff in strategic locations."

"Try slipping her a chocolate emetic tuber," said Draco, "that ought to improve her knowledge of the way these things work."

"Hmm could do," said Leah. "Just have to wait till an opportunity presents itself."

The week continued uneventfully, although Harry was still eagerly awaiting the Quidditch tryouts.

"Can I come and watch you try out Harry?" Di asked him at supper on Thursday evening.

"Well certainly, I suppose anyone can watch the tryouts?" Said Harry. "I particularly want Draco to take the lead in cheering for me," he added, winking at his best friend.

"I notice you haven't actually started a conversation with me yet," said Di.

"It's not deliberate, I just don't like talking to girls much," said Harry. "Erm, except you of course," he said hastily, patting her arm. "You know everyone else thinks you the prettiest girl in the year – which you are of course..."

Di continued to gaze at him with her large dark eyes. "I've been worried," she said slowly. "There are these people in our house hate you and that must be because they still support the Dark Lord."

"They can't support him because he's dead," said Draco tersely, "and don't try and fluster Harry."

"I'm not," said Di in a small voice. "But did you ever hear of a dark wizard who really died...?" she stroked her cheek, lost in thought.

"Double Potions tomorrow Potter," said Draco, redirecting Harry's attention from Di. "We had better revise, we don't want to disappoint Snape..."

Harry and Draco went back down to the Slytherin common room and down the winding staircase to their dormitory, oblivious to the knot of older boys grouped together, muttering amongst themselves and pointing as they went through the gate...


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

There was a meeting in secret in a hidden chamber off the Slytherin Common Room that night. Who knows how many such secret chambers exist? In Slytherin House, discovering and concealing secrets have always been considered virtues. The stone room was small and lit by the ethereal light of blue-green glow stones in the ceiling. The meeting was held by the so called "Dark Disciples." They were a small group of senior Slytherin boys who had had Death Eater parents or relatives who were identified and arrested. Whilst many Death Eaters who were still at liberty were curious as to whether Harry could be a new dark lord round whom they could rally once more, the Dark Disciples were effectively war orphans. They believed themselves to be hopelessly dedicated to Voldemort's cause.

But this time Travers, who headed the meeting had a spring in his step. "You lot may have seen in the Prophet," he said, laying out an issue of the paper on the stone table in the hidden room.

"What is the point of that?" Asked Harpour. "The article is about the disappearance of some obscure Ministry employee, Dirk Cresswell. Just more wishful thinking in the media that the Dark Lord really is back.

"No!" said Travers. "See how smoothly the disappearance of the mudblood in question went? It could only have been an accomplished dark wizard who did it. Our master is not dead. He has just returned from exile. Soon our fathers will all be freed from Azkaban."

"This is all your guess-work," sneered Mackworth.

"I'll show you," said Travers. "I intend to earn a high place in the Dark Order that is to come when the Ministry is overthrown and Dumbledore killed. I am going to do it by settling the score with Harry Potter." At the mention of the name, all the young wizards present hissed.

**Malfoy Manor:**

"Thisss iss just like the old timess is it not, Luciuss?" Hissed Voldemort. They were in the cellar in Malfoy Manor and Dirk Cresswell was bound to a chair. The cellar was lit only by the pulsating glare of a blood red lamp.

"Yes Master," said Lucius averting his gaze.

"Kudoss to you for thinking of sssalvaging my yew wand from the scene of my ignominious demise. I bet you would want to feel my wand if you could iss that not sso?"

"Precisely Master," said Lucius.

Voldemort turned to Dirk Cresswell. "Crucccio," he hissed and Cresswell yelled as though every nerve in his body were on fire.

"Come now mudblood, or Lord Voldemort will sstart on your genitalia," threatened the dark wizard.

"I- I've told you all I know," sobbed Cresswell. "You would never be able to subdue Amelia Bones with the Imperius curse. But the Minister is a fool and tractable..."

"Thanksss... I could have performed Legilmenccy but the personal touch is sso enjoyable," gloated Voldemort. Lucius kept his mouth tight shut, feeling tense with apprehension.

He turned to Lucius. "You ought to be titular owner of Malfoy Manor... you ssaid yourself that when a father is in decline and the sson is wise and sstrong he should automatically take over in every resspect... I approve of patricide myself, but will put Abraxass under the Imperius curse for now, doess that not meet with your approval old friend?"

"Oh yes my Lord," said Lucius. "But best not to mention it to Narcissa..." he looked down at his feet feeling ashamed.

"Ahhh I knew that girl would never make a Death Eater," said Voldemort. "That'ss why I fully inducted you and not her. You know what to do. Engratiate yoursself to that fool Fudge, make a donation to the hossspital or something. Sssoon you will get to ssee him alone and then placcce him under the imperius curssse. I will deal with Madam Bonessss. The Ministry will sssoon be under our control." Voldemort turned to Dirk Cresswell and pointed his wand. "You have outlived your usefulness, sso ... rest in peace mudblood. Avada Kedava!" There was a flash of green light and Cresswell slumped sideways in the chair, blood trickling from the side of his mouth.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

The Slytherin first year girls were also up late on Thursday night, worrying about how they would impress Professor Snape their housemaster. Four of them had already showered and had a spell in the Jacuzzis. They were in their dormitory getting ready for bed. Pansy Parkinson was in an agitated state. "He wants us to be perfect so Slytherin win the house cup again," she said. "I just know I will be called on to get points for Slytherin. What if there is something about Potions that I haven't been taught yet..."

"You worry a lot Pansy," grunted Millicent Bulstrode. She was cradling her small black kitten in her lap and he was trying to grab her hair.

"Oh you ought to worry," purred Selena Selwyn, the fifth Slytherin girl. "Of all of us, only Di is pretty enough to impress professor Snape." Selena's barbed words were directed at Pansy and Millicent whom she guessed must feel insecure about their appearances. Pansy had an ugly squashed face, like a pug dog and Millicent, though just eleven, was huge and heavy looking in all respects.

"Shush," said Daphne Greengrass glaring at Selena.

"Well the whole year, no, the whole school agrees, let's face it," said Selena softly, her green eyes glittering. Pansy had knocked over a bottle of shampoo in her agitation and it was spreading a pink, viscous puddle on the green and silver carpet of the dorm. Millicent looked up and glared at Selena. "Since when were you suddenly in love with Di?" Selena who was lying face down on her four poster looked up. "I'm just pointing out Millie," she said meekly. "No boy would notice me with her around. I doubt Professor Snape will know I exist either once Di walks in the potions dungeon."

At that moment, the door to the dorm opened and Di swept in, clad in a white nightdress. Her cheeks were flushed and her black eyes sparkling. She appeared to glide across the floor rather than tread. "You're saying all nice things about me I hope," she said brightly. Selena stood up her arms outstretched.

"Of course dear, you heard," she said, pulling the dark haired girl into an embrace. Di gave a tinkling laugh. "I just had the most wonderful time..." she said. Then shook her head as if to clear it. "Actually I've been worried lately, I suspect there may be some idiots who want to – attack Harry Potter - I think. We ought to tell Professor Snape."

"Do you have any evidence for this?" Said Daphne. "I'm not going to professor Snape on a whim. You heard him when we first came here, only to bother him in the event of an emergency. Why don't you tell a prefect?"

Di sighed. "Well perhaps it is a matter I should handle alone," she murmured. She turned to Millicent, "oh look, your kitten is adorable," she said, sitting beside the hulking girl. "I wish I could have one."

"You can't have a kitten? Why not?" Asked Millicent.

Di shook her head, "best not to say more," she said, brushing her raven hair away from her face.

**Potions lesson:**

The Slytherin first years were scheduled to take Potions with the Gryffindors on Friday mornings. The first years assembled in the corridor outside the dungeon where Potions took place. The Slytherins lined up on one side of the corridor and the Gryffindors on the other. There was a feeling of tension in the air. A Gryffindor girl pointed at Millicent and whispered something to the one beside her who giggled. Selena narrowed her eyes. "You should beat them up Millie," she said. "You don't need a wand or any magic to do it."

"I'm not beating anyone up," grunted Millicent.

"I can't believe we're stuck having potions with the Gryffindors," muttered Draco to Harry.

"Let's hope they don't muck things up for us too much..." Harry replied. At that moment, Snape emerged from the dungeon and beckoned them inside. They filed in, the Slytherins filling one half of the dungeon and the Gryffindors the other. Harry and Draco sat at the same cauldron, although Di had been trying to catch Harry's eye. After taking the roll call Snape began an introductory speech. "Potion making is both an exact art and science," he said, his voice little above a whisper, but he had the gift of keeping the class silent without effort. "I can teach you to brew fame, bottle glory and even stopper death unless you are like the dunderheads I usually have to teach." The Weasley boy raised his eyebrows. Snape noticed. "Weasley, what is the difference between aconite and monkshood," he snapped.

"I don't know sir," said Weasley, bewildered. Draco sniggered. "For your information Weasley, they are the same plant which can also be called wolfsbane," said Snape. He glared around the class, "well write that down everyone."

Snape then set the first years to work on a simple potion for curing boils. Di kept shooting Harry meaningful looks throughout. "Does she still think I'm going to be attacked?" Wondered Harry as her dark eyed gaze settled on him again.

"Who knows?" said Draco, "regardless, it's Quidditch tryouts this afternoon and you must be there. Don't you want Slytherin to flatten Gryffindor again?"

Harry nodded. Ronald Weasley was talking rather loudly to Dean Thomas, another Gryffindor. "I've had an invitation to see Professor Kettleburn in his leaf pile this afternoon, and he suggested that someone else could be invited too," said Ron. "At least, I assume that was what the word "TEA" written twice meant."

"I would ask you not to discuss this in my class Weasley," said Snape, "five points from Gryffindor."

Draco laughed. "Look everyone," commanded Snape, "look at the perfect way Malfoy is stewing the horned slugs."

"Quite right sir," said Draco, "hello, what's this, Goyle, don't add the porcupine quills now!" Goyle had been about to add porcupine quills to the potion regardless of Snape's instructions.

"It was very proper of you to warn the blockhead about that," said Snape. "Ten points to Slytherin."

"Good work Draco," said Selena enthusiastically.

"I am glad you have someone as capable as Malfoy to show you how to brew potions Potter," said Snape.

"Thank you sir," said Harry in some surprise.

Soon the class was dismissed and Harry and Draco trailed up the stone steps into the entrance hall into the bright September sunshine. Di came hurrying after them. "I said I was going to watch you Harry," she said a little breathlessly, flicking a strand of her long hair over her shoulder.

"Thanks," said Harry. Di linked her arm in his causing Draco to scowl. The three of them went down the Quidditch pitch for a tryout that proved quite eventful.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

When Harry had changed for Quidditch and arrived on the pitch Draco and Di were there to wish him luck, but Selena was there as well. "I couldn't sit still until I wished you good luck Harry," said Selena her green eyes glittering. "May I hug you in preparation?" Di looked at her feet her face flushing.

"I'd rather you didn't," said Harry. "Thanks again for being a spectator Di," he said, hoping to alleviate her embarrassment. He patted her shoulder and she swallowed and nodded at him and then she walked with Draco to the stands. Crabbe and Goyle had arrived in the stands at Draco's behest.

Captain Marcus Flint called the motley crowd of applicants to assemble in front of him. He was an imposing figure, tall and muscular. "All got your brooms? Good," he barked. "Now let's get started. To weed out those who are totally incapable you will all fly once round the field. If anyone can't do that, they can get lost."

Everyone flew once round the field without mishap. "Alright, what positions are you jokers trying out for?" growled Flint.

When it came to trying out for the position of Seeker, Flint wanted to pit Harry against Terence Higgs. "Now I know Lucius Malfoy recommended you, but ah I have to be sure Potter, you understand," he said with a trace of apprehension in his voice. He released a golden snitch into the air. "For this test you must both use these awful school brooms," said Flint. "Just in case your own should ever suffer a mishap you must be able to fly in adversity. Give the snitch a minutes head start boys... now GO!"

Harry and Higgs flew high into the air and the school brooms began to vibrate in protest. But Harry had already spotted a glint of gold and flew up to the Snitch like an arrow even though Higgs had scarcely begun to look around. The wind whipped around him as he sped towards it. Time was his. The snitch could not evade him. Even as it sped away he followed it with unerring accuracy and finally grasped it in his right hand.

"Got it!" he cried, plummeting back to Earth.

"Astonishing!" said Flint, flabbergasted. "You're perfect. Glad you've got a decent broom of your own too. Now let's try you both against the bludgers." Flint released a bludger and the Snitch into the air. Harry and Higgs rose and once again Harry had grabbed the Snitch in seconds. However, the bludger seemed to disregard Higgs and pursued Harry. In the stands, Di nudged Draco. "That's not how a bludger is supposed to behave," she said, wide-eyed.

"No," said Draco narrowing his grey eyes. "It's pursuing him."

"Well someone's got to do something," cried Di, getting to her feet and rushing towards the pitch. Harry was trying complicated loop the loops to evade the bludger but with no success. He flew into the air higher and higher, but it pursued him with much greater speed than the bludgers normally possessed. Flint yelled at him to come down so he could deal with the bludger. He shouted at the chosen beaters to get the bludger off Harry. They rose into the air as Harry flew down in a complicated series of twists and turns. Redwing gave the bludger a resounding thwack with his beater bat, the force of which sent it crashing into the pitch where Di had arrived. She pointed her wand at it, her eyes furious, fixated and the bludger burst into fragments. "Off the pitch kid, shoo," said Flint, ushering her away. Harry alighted beside him. "How on Earth did you make that useless old school broom fly loop the loops and go 200 feet in the air Potter?" Asked Flint admiringly.

"The quality of the player is more important than the quality of the broom," said Harry with a touch of pride.

Flint clapped him on the back so that he staggered. "That's the kind of attitude I want," he said. "OK, first practice is on Saturday at 09.00 AM."

"Are you sure you're alright Harry," said Di as they left the pitch with the other Slytherins.

"Perfectly fine thanks Di," said Harry patting her on the back. She still looked a little pale, and was breathing quite hard.

"Harry Potter isn't made of glass dear," said Selena.

"Well he was easily the best player on that pitch, no contest at all, even with that bludger misbehaving," said Draco.

"But this proves it," said Di, still agitated. "There are some in our house who want revenge on Harry Potter."

"Oh Harry is too wonderful for that to be possible," said Selena in a sugary voice.

"I'll be careful from now on if it makes you feel better Di," said Harry squeezing her shoulder reassuringly. Di brushed her hair out of her face with a delicate hand. "I'd feel better if you talked to be more," she muttered.

"Of course he will," said Draco rolling his eyes.

"Who'd forgo that chance?" Asked Selena.

Late that night Harry awoke. He was still in his bed in the boy's dormitory. But all was not well. Although he had disregarded Di's unease he did feel uncomfortable. He got strange headaches from time to time now and sometimes disturbing dreams. He felt as if there was a waking presence in the room. He pushed aside the hangings of his four poster saw that the dormitory was dark. The night light had gone out. He shivered. He missed Narcissa's bed time stories and lullabies. He tried to remember the words of "Hushabye mountain," as sung in her soft, melodious voice. But the shadows in the room seemed to darken and he couldn't concentrate. There appeared to be a deeper shadow at the foot of his bed. He felt transfixed by it and couldn't move. Suddenly the shadows seemed to peel aside as if they had wrapped something that now revealed itself. Harry gasped. It was a boy... or young man. The most... handsome, no the most beautiful he had ever seen. He had jet black hair and his eyes seemed to blaze with black fire. His skin was white as chalk. He laid a hand on Harry's arm. That touch seemed to burn him with a searing cold. He spoke and his voice sounded hollow, "Harry Potter, surrender your will and your flesh. I can be your reward." Harry's broke his gaze away and the hand on his arm seemed to shriven to become like a reptiles claws. There was a terrible hiss and as Harry looked up the vision now had a hideous, monstrous face with blazing red eyes, truly a terrifying sight to behold. Harry shrieked.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

"What is it? What's going on?" The dormitory light came on. Draco was shaking Harry's arm. Harry was sweating and trembling. "What is it Potter, was it a nightmare?" asked Draco wide eyed. Crabbe, Goyle and Nott were awake and looking on uncertainly. "Well don't just stand about, get him some water and find someone," Draco snapped at them. "What happened Potter?" hissed Draco to Harry.

Harry's head felt like it would split down his scar with the pain. "There was something in the room – something in the room," he said through gritted teeth.

"There's no one here Potter," said Draco. "About time," he said as he snatched a glass of water from Nott and thrust it into Harry's hand.

"A prefect's coming, so I hope you know what you're about," said Nott.

The door to the dormitory burst open and a sixth year girl, Jaymie MacIntyre burst in. She was in a pink night dress, her long red hair dishevelled. Her face was covered in what appeared to be a thick green paste. Goyle yelled in shock at the sight of her and jumped under his four poster. "MacIntyre, it's Harry Potter, he's ill – I think," said Draco from Harry's bed.

"Out of the way," said MacIntyre, clambering onto Harry's bed as Draco slid onto the floor. She felt Harry's forehead. "He has a fever," she muttered. "Harry, can you hear me?" she asked softly.

"A demon broke in, there was a wizard in the dormitory, he vanished," said Harry frantically.

"He must have had a nightmare. We haven't noticed any strange old wizards prowling the dormitory with their wands out," said Draco.

"He took mum and dad away... want Narcissa..." said Harry.

The prefect held him close. "There now love, you just had a nightmare," she said gently as she rocked him. She glared at Draco. "Don't just stand there, fetch Madam Pomfrey," she snapped. Draco and Nott ran out of the dormitory.

"Did someone hex you?" Crabbe asked her stupidly.

"Don't be cheeky or you'll be sorry," she said scowling at Crabbe while she smoothed Harry's hair.

Harry awoke again the next morning in the hospital wing. The sun was shining through the window. The ward was empty apart from him. "All in order," said Madam Pomfrey brightly. "You're as right as rain now Potter." Harry picked up the gold rimmed spectacles the Malfoys had given him from his bedside table and then looked at the clock. It was 08.00 AM.

"I've got to go to Quidditch practice," he told Madam Pomfrey, "the only way I could possibly underperform at Quidditch is if I were actually unconscious during a match or practice. But I could win even if the rest of the team were made up of squibs."

Predictably Harry astonished the rest of the Slytherin team with his unequalled flying skills. He was glad to have Quidditch as a distraction. It seemed that when he was tired out after practice he had no nightmares and it made him feel important that Flint was acutely critical of the other boys on the team, but never found fault with Harry's performance. Harry wondered what his nightmares could signify. Could they be about Voldemort? Or could they be a sign that the terrible dark wizard had conquered death? If only Professor Quirrell's lessons weren't such a joke. Defence Against the Dark Arts really ought to provide some clue about dealing with the dark forces... "What would you expect of Quirrell?" Asked Draco when Harry pointed this out to him at breakfast one morning. "He taught muggle studies for Slytherin's sake. And not about how best to keep muggles at bay either."

"Morning Harry," said Jaymie MacIntyre giving his shoulder a little squeeze as she passed. Since she had taken him to the hospital wing that night she had acted in a familiar way towards him.

"She should wear that pink dressing gown for the Halloween festivities," said Draco, sniggering, when she was out of earshot. "Pink with her hair! I ask you..." Jaymie was discussing that morning's issue of the daily prophet with her sister. Both of them appeared grave. There had been strange disappearances of Ministry officials which the Ministry was refusing to comment on. What it could mean was anyone's guess.

"You do know what I think Bonnie?" Jamie asked. She peered intently at her sister who was scanning the Prophet with a sombre face.

"Aye," said Bonnie, "and I hope you are wrong. Frankly I don't trust Dumbledore or the Ministry to handle the situation if you are right..."

**Madam Bones' residence:**

That evening Madam Bones also had a lot on her mind. The disappearances were not coincidences, no matter what that fool Fudge affected to think. Nothing of the kind had happened since she had been Deputy Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and Voldemort had still been at large. She was going over the papers of her speech. She intended to announce her suspicions to be magical community at large. She hadn't noticed that the lights in her study seemed to have gone out and the sun outside had set. "Good evening Madam Bonesss," came a chilling voice from the shadows, "it is Rufus Scrimgeour paying you a visssit."

"Scrimgeour? That's a terrible hiss you've developed," said Madam Bones.

"You are working too hard Madam," said the voice. "A witch of your sssoon to be advanced yearss must avoid shocksss..."

Madam Bones shrieked as Voldemort's skeletal hand phased through her back and then she choked as he squeezed her heart. "Resst in Peace Madam Boness," said the dark Lord as Madam Bones slumped to the floor.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**Malfoy Manor – one evening after chapter 14:**

"I have ssomeone keen to meet you both," said Voldemort addressing Lucius and Narcissa who stood before him in the Malfoy's drawing room. Narcissa gave a little gasp as a gaunt witch suddenly materialised in front of her. The witch gazed back at her balefully. Her face had a hollowed look and her black hair was unkempt and straggly, but her dark eyes seemed to burn with a fierce light. Narcissa gazed transfixed and then ran up to the witch and touch her cheek. "Bella, is it really you," she whispered. She broke down crying and clung to her sister tightly.

Bella's dour face relaxed into a smile. "It is good to finally be with you again Cissy," she said. "I was right. I told Crouch that the Dark Lord would rise again reward my service and my dedication to his cause."

"Bella hass earned a badge of highest honour," said Voldemort holding up a silver badge shaped like a skull with a serpent coming out of its mouth. He handed it to her.

"And Lucius, you desserve something for subduing the Minisster. He's not going to act on the masss breakout I engineered from Azzkaban. It will ssoon be time for the dementorss to enter active servicce." Voldemort produced another badge and groped Lucius' chest, appending the badge to his robes. "How doess that feel Luciusss? Mmmmmm," said Voldemort, as Lucius remained silent. "You've been doing well; Lord Voldemort iss quite ready to forget your failure to look for him like Bellatrix did."

"Master, I am your most faithful servant," said Bellatrix indignantly disengaging herself from Narcissa.

"I know Bella, but you musst admit Luciusss is charismatic," said Voldemort. "My candidate to be the next Minissster. Now to the point at hand; Luciuss, soon Fudge will have an excusse to declare Dumbledore incompetent to remain headmasster. You musst compel the other governors to agree to remove the old fool from his post."

"Nothing would give me greater pleasure my Lord," said Lucius.

**Back at Hogwarts! :D**

For once Hogwarts was not abuzz with gossip about banal things like homework, Quidditch, boys, girls etc. The topic of the week was now the mass break out from Azkaban. The ten most notorious Death Eaters who had been held in Azkaban Fortress were on the loose again. "What's been going on?" said Harry uneasily to Draco at supper that evening. "Here Goyle, pass me a black pudding with treacle can you?"

"A mass breakout from Azkaban," said Draco, raising his eyebrows. "Such a thing was supposed to be impossible."

"So a lot of prisoners suddenly escaped from that magical prison? Without knowing how to fight the dementors?" said Harry.

"Oh yes," said Selena sitting down on the other side of him. "And you know who they are Harry? The most important Death Eaters."

Suddenly there came a terrible voice, a chilling and deadly hiss. "_Free_ _at lassst, after sso long... come all you flessh carrierss, let me rip you, let me tear you and eassse my gnawing hunger..."_Harry jumped at the sound of the voice.

"Oh it's OK really," said Selena. "They won't be able to get you no matter how much they want revenge..."

"That voice!" said Harry, "did you hear it?"

"Mm? Hear what Potter?" Asked Draco cutting himself a slice of cold chicken.

"Someone said they were going to kill someone, you must have heard it?"

Draco gave him an odd look and Selena narrowed her eyes. "Is this a joke Potter?" Asked Draco.

"No, someone just yelled that they were going to kill someone... didn't you hear it?" Asked Harry again.

"No," said Draco shrugging. "Ignore them if it bothers you they must just be bored in life."

"I don't think it could have been anyone in this hall..." said Harry.

"Hi boys," said Daphne Greengrass coming up to them and clapping Harry and Draco on their backs. Pansy and Millicent followed close behind. "Did you hear the news?" Asked Daphne

"We certainly have Daphne," said Draco. "Isn't it bizarre? Azkaban is not so escape proof these days."

"Suppers about over," said Daphne. "We had best make a move as the rest of the house is." She shook her head. "It's quite upsetting that we should be so unpopular with the other three houses that we can't move around the castle alone..." Harry shrugged. Amongst muggles he had had no friends at all. Being in Slytherin House gave him a real sense of belonging. "Shall we do our Transfiguration homework together?" asked Daphne. "We were just heading down to the common room and you know how much McGonagall set us on those switching spells..."

Draco sighed, "might as well I suppose," he said, and they filed down the stone stairs into the dungeons surrounded by a crowd of Slytherins all gossiping in loud voices. As they progressed through the subterranean complex they approached a place where an out let to one of Slytherin house's swimming pools was located. There was something glimmering red on the wall in front of them. Some of the older Slytherins ahead yelled and screamed. "What? What is it?" Demanded Selena, dancing on tiptoes.

"Filch is dead, Filch is dead," shrieked Persephone Crosier, a seventh year prefect who had been leading the way. She had staggered backwards, her face white and stricken. There was a murmur of terror through the packed corridor. Argus Filch, the hated school caretaker lay on the stone floor of the passage, quite rigid. His bulging eyes stared up as if transfixed in terror.

"What's that say on the wall?" said Daphne, her voice quivering.

"It says enemies of the Heir beware," came the voice of Travers, gloatingly, from near the front of the crowd. "The mudbloods will be next."


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

The death of Argus Filch caused a buzz of gossip in the Slytherin Common Room that night. The first years sat close together around a carved table, in frenzied discussion. "So the chamber of secrets has been opened," said Draco. "Does this mean the mudbloods will all be driven out?"

"So the Chamber of Secrets is the Chamber that Slytherin built, but no one knows where it might be?" Said Harry, remembering something Draco had told him in during the summer.

"Yes," said Pansy nodding. "Slytherin's monster is supposed to purge the school of those unworthy to study magic."

"Including all mudbloods," said Selena grinning.

"Yeah, all mudbloods have gotta die," said Crabbe.

"I wonder why it attacked Filch," said Millicent. "I know the older students all hated him... but that was really harsh."

"Oh come on now, he was a squib," said Selena. "Do you know what that means? Deformed. Worthless." She added with relish.

"Oh shut up," said Daphne irritably.

"I'm just saying..." said Selena meekly. "Your mum and dad love you because you are a credit to them. Who could feel the same about someone who could not do magic – like a muggle!"

"I do know one thing," said Draco. "Last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a mudblood died. But that's all I know. Father knows all about it, but he won't tell me anything. I have no idea who opened it. All I know is that they were expelled."

"I hope the mudbloods just get out of Hogwarts now," said Daphne anxiously. "They really shouldn't be here anyway. We don't need anyone who think muggles should rule us."

"True," said Harry, "being ruled by muggles is no joke."

Di came over to join them sitting down in a carved chair between Harry and Goyle. "Have you heard?" she asked, "of course you have... this is all just terrible."

Close too Harry could see that she did not look well. There were dark areas around her eyes and she looked paler than usual. "Are you OK Di?" he asked.

"You're speaking to me for the first time in a considerable while," said Di with a touch of asperity. "I take it you forgot your promise."

"He remembered your name Di, that's something," said Draco.

Di pushed her curtain of dark hair away from her face. "The Chamber of Secrets is open..." she said in a strained voice.

"So? That's a good thing, only filth like mudbloods and squibs need worry," said Selena.

Di glared at her and then rose and flounced away to the door leading to the swimming pool.

This was only the beginning. The following Saturday a Justin Finch-Fletchley, a Hufflepuff first year in Harry's was found dead near a first floor bathroom. This began to cause panic amongst a great part of the student body. Four of the Slytherin first year girls discussed the incident gravely in their dormitory that night. Di lay face down on her four poster. "Di, are you crying?" Asked Selena incredulously.

Daphne knelt beside Di and laid an arm on her shoulder while Pansy and Millicent exchanged uneasy glances. "Did you – did you know Finch Fletchley Di?" She asked softly.

"Oh I didn't know him," said Di looking up her face glistening with tears. "It's easy for you all to be so casual about it..." she broke off and stood up beside her bed glaring round at them and then rushed out of the dormitory towards the Jacuzzis.

"Could be that time of month starting for her," said Selena in an off-hand voice.

"Or she actually cares that someone in our year was killed, even if he was muggleborn," said Daphne tartly. "What a useless headmaster Dumbledore is; he admits mudbloods and can't protect them... I wish they would go so they're not in any more danger."

"Oh who cares either way, right?" Said Selena.

"Mmm" said Pansy unenthusiastically. "I would rather Finch Fletchley had got out of Hogwarts before this happens. At least Dumbledore will be sacked though."

**Slytherin Boy's First year Dorm:**

Harry had been quite shocked to learn of Justin Finch Fletchley's demise, but Draco assured him that it wasn't so bad as the boy had been loyal to muggles despite being in a magical environment. But he agreed that it was harsh nonetheless. After simmering and sloshing in the sapphire waters of a blue Jacuzzi Harry fell into an uneasy sleep, plagued by nightmarish whispers from the unknown monster seeking prey.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

_Author's Note: Harry's nightmare is foreshadowing. Which OC Slytherin first year is the more suspicious?_

Harry's dreams were troubled. He felt as if he was wading through deep water. His scar burned with a dull pain. He was in a place like the Great Hall, but the house tables were gone and it was wrapped in shadow. He felt a sense of urgency to get to the end of the hall quickly, but as he tried to run, he slowed even more and the Hall seemed to lengthen. Suddenly he noticed Selena Selwyn in front of him her characteristic unpleasant smile playing around her lips. "Get out of the way," he murmured as he trudged past her.

"Oh you'll like what you'll find Harry Potter," she gloated and then disappeared. Harry reached the end of the hall where there was a black tapestry that seemed to shimmer. He reached for it, but felt a pair of hands grasp his forearms. He shook his head and there was Di, her slender hands gripping him. Her beautiful face was very pale and bore the look of worry he had noticed on her in the Common Room. "Harry, you mustn't look and be afraid," she urged. "Don't go. You can't fight him." He struggled, but her grip was very tight. She was taller than him and gazed down into his eyes as he looked up. Her dark eyes had that look of intensity which she often gave him. "No, I don't want you to be lost – Look at me!" she ordered. "I wished the wizard who caused so much misery was gone, but he isn't – _Look at me!"_

"Yes-" said Harry helplessly.

Then a nightmare voice cut through his mind like a knife.

"_Rip... tear... kill_." Harry awoke with a start. The voice came from somewhere below... no, it was moving upwards. Harry wrapped his duvet tightly around him. What could he do? Something burned deep in his mind. Mechanically he put on his robes and left the dormitory, his feet hardly seeming to touch the floor. He ascended the marble staircase and then took a left turn. He felt drawn by something else. He entered a room that was bare except for an ornate mirror at one end. Why had he sensed something here? He peered at the mirror. He gave a start at what he saw. "So here we are Harry," a voice sounded immediately behind him. Harry gave a start and turned around quickly, his robes whipping about him. The headmaster was there. Harry glared at him. He felt a surge of hatred that conquered his sense of caution. "Were you following me?" he demanded.

"Ah Harry what a question that is," said Dumbledore, resettling his half-moon spectacles on his crooked nose. "Incidentally, would you like to borrow my gameboy?" Harry seethed inside, but said nothing.

Dumbledore continued. "You have found the Mirror of Erised. Can you guess what it does?"

"It's shown me an image of myself with Draco and Narcissa?" said Harry. "Could it show what I want?"

"You want to be with your new family untroubled," said Dumbledore with a smile. "But I have bad news. My sources indicate that the dark wizard of the title Lord Voldemort has returned. You must have noticed it. Has your scar been paining you? Have you had flashes of insight into his consciousness? You cannot be united with the Malfoys if he is at large. We must stop him and, forgive my lack of seemly modesty, it takes a genius such as I to assist you in your destiny."

Harry glared but knew that it was true. "Let's say I believe he really is back, what's your angle in it."

"I want to rid the world of that maniac," said Dumbledore, "we are on the same side Harry. Here, a token of good faith," Dumbledore pulled a wad of silvery material from the pocket of his purple robes. "This is your father's old invisibility cloak Harry. Use it well." Harry took the cloak and wrapped it around himself like a duvet. He gave a gasp as he realised he had vanished. He could not see his arms or legs. He was completely lost to sight.

"You will need it sooner than you think Harry," said Dumbledore.

Harry's fighting spirit was ignited. He neither liked nor trusted the headmaster, but he knew that Voldemort would always be his one true enemy. And he also knew the Malfoy's were his one true household.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

Harry had known better than to try sneaking around the school that night with Dumbledore prowling around. He did not trust the old coot as far as he could have thrown him. He went back to his four poster as the other Slytherin first year boys slumbered on. The next morning at breakfast there was an even greater commotion. "What is going on?" Asked Draco. "The end of the world at least I should think."

"Another attack last night," said Daphne gravely.

"Wouldn't you have crawled a mile through bog and brambles to learn this?" said Selena grinning. She looked as though she had spent a sleepless night, but she had a gloating smile nonetheless and seemed exultant.

"It was Hermione Granger, the monster of Slytherin caught her in a girl's bathroom," said Pansy.

"But she wasn't just frozen," said Selena her eyes glittering. "Tell them Daphne?"

"The Bloody Baron was on the scene shortly after Dumbledore. Apparently the monster had chewed her up a great deal," said Daphne in a hushed voice. She looked rather queasy at the thought.

"I wonder where Di's gone," said Harry looking around as he remembered his nightmare of the night before. "Now I think about it she hasn't seemed well lately."

"Oh dear, she won't like hearing about this at all! You know how much she hates violent stuff," said Millicent shaking her head. "I'm sorry to say Di might be getting near a nervous breakdown."

"At least Dumbledore will be sacked. Surely he must be now?" said Draco.

Over the next few days Aurors were stationed around the school. They walked up and down the corridors during the day. None of the first years were allowed to walk the corridors alone. Instead they were shepherded by teachers to their lessons. Selena remained in high spirits during Herbology which the Slytherins still took with the Ravenclaws, all of whom were very sombre that day. Draco had been very interested in Harry's invisibility cloak and had asked Harry for a demonstration. They had also used it to sneak into the school kitchens together for a midnight feast. As Draco had said, what was the point of being at boarding school if there were no midnight feasts?

"Look at them!" gloated Selena, indicating the subdued Ravenclaws to Di. "Who would have thought they would miss that gruesome mudblood after playing all those hilarious pranks on her, remember the one with the emetic tuber?"

"You make _me_ sick," snapped Di. She flounced over to the bench at which Harry and Draco sat, trying to cultivate Mexican jumping beans.

Harry and Draco were surprised as she inserted herself in between them. She turned her back to Draco so as to face Harry. Close to, Harry could see that she looked ill. Her face was ashy pale and there were dark areas around her eyes. She hadn't been taking care of her hair as she usually did and it looked a little unkempt rather than sleek and shiny. She leant forwards and whispered very softly into his ears. Although her warm breath in his ear tickled, Harry did not flinch. "You must know who is behind these attacks Harry," she said. "I know it would be much better if the Dark Lord really were dead, but he is not. The Entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is in the haunted girl's lavatory on the first floor. A well rounded wizard can confront and master all aspects of himself - "

"No messing around now," said Professor Sprout reproachfully. "I know we're all upset about the recent tragedies, but the Headmaster wants everything to continue as normal."

"Yeah Di, stop messing around," said Draco indignantly, giving her a little push. Di stood up and frowned at him as he slipped his hand in Harry's, then she flounced off.

"What was ailing her this time?" Asked Draco.

"I wonder..." said Harry. "She was making out she knows where the Chamber of Secrets is. You remember Dumbledore told me that Voldemort is back?"

"You would believe that plot dumping old coot above my dad and I would you?" Said Draco in disgust. "Don't you trust my judgement? The old monster is dead."

"I don't believe the nightmares I've been having are just any nightmares," said Harry with some difficulty. "The Chamber of Secrets must be a place for a true successor to Slytherin. It may contain the secret to ending Voldemort's reign of terror forever. And I have been having a bad feeling of foreshadowing lately..."

The next morning Dumbledore was in his office facing a serious dilemma. Since Slytherin's monster had struck again the governing board and the Minister of Magic were all demanding his resignation. He had recalled the Order of the Phoenix, but what could they do now Voldemort had the Minister under the imperius curse? During the strife the magical community had previously had with Voldemort they had been his own private Ministry. A vigilante group that Voldemort had sought to emulate when he reorganised the Knights of Walpurgiss to form the Death Eaters. The Minister was now too well guarded for the imperius curse to be broken. There was a knock at the door and Snape entered the office.

"Oh Professor Dumbledore," he said. "I have the artefact you were looking for," said Snape.

"Thank you Severus," said Dumbledore. "But there are matters of grave import for us both. Now that the Death Eaters control the Minister for Magic they are certain to oust me from Hogwarts. We must move quickly. There is no way of knowing for certain how many Horcruxes Voldemort has established. Once I had suspected only one, and that it was Slytherin's Locket, but that attack on Harry Potter and it's results indicate otherwise." The headmaster glanced at Snape, his piercing blue eyes penetrating the outer layers of Severus' consciousness. "Ah, but you are profound Snape, you must have known or at least suspected already. Voldemort had rendered his essence dangerously unstable when he attacked the Potters. Lily's son contains a splinter of Voldemort's essence, buried in his mind. Harry must die and Voldemort himself must do it. You will probably have suspected this already Snape. I have the events set in motion. Voldemort must deactivate the quasi-Horcrux and bear the brunt of Lily's magical shield once again."

"You are a past master in the art of Machievellian scheming Dumbledore," said Snape smoothly. "And here is the Horcrux," Snape lifted a small black box and lifted the lid.

"The Resurrection Stone!" Exclaimed Dumbledore. "Only Voldemort would be fool enough to make it into a Horcrux. Why the Stone only belongs to a great wizard such as I. Once Harry is dead and the Cloak back in my possession I shall have all three Hallows." Dumbledore's eyes glinted greedily as he snatched an ugly ring from the box that Snape held open. "Now I will summon an army of inferi and give the Death Eaters cause to run!" Gloated Dumbledore. "No more holding back. I shall take over as absolute ruler of the world..." But as Dumbledore slipped the ring onto his finger he gave a roar of pain. His fingers blackened and burned. His whole hand was shrivelling. Wordlessly, Snape hit the old wizard with a curse that sent him collapsing to his knees. The curse of the Horcrux took full effect and Dumbledore withered and decomposed, his flesh burning black and crumbling away to reveal just a charred skeleton. "Take that you wicked old megalomaniac," said Snape with grim satisfaction. "It has been a long time in coming."


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

That evening, Voldemort sat with his feet up in the headmaster's office. The light of the setting sun cast the circular room in a bloody light. He held up the skull of Albus Dumbledore in his left hand. "Alasss, Dumbledore I knew him well!" he gloated. "Brilliant work Sseverus. Now I can dispossse of Harry Potter at my leisure. No need for any elaborate russe like the Malfoys inviting him for a mid-term holiday."

"The boy is right here at Hogwarts master," said Snape. "Now that I am appointed headmaster I can order a curfew and then collect him from the Slytherin complex."

"Oh yesss try that," said Voldemort. "And send one of my dark dissciplesss here. As a reward for their loyalty, one of them can rub my feet."

**The Slytherin Common Room:**

The Slytherin Common Room was crowded and noisy. It had just been announced that Dumbledore had resigned as headmaster and that the Ministry and the school governors had appointed Snape in his place. The students had all been ordered to return to their common rooms in response to the present crisis. "Can you imagine that?" Malfoy asked. "Dumblesnore sacked and Snape appointed headmaster. It's high time. This old place isn't nearly so bad anymore."

"There's something wrong, something I don't like," said Harry frowning. Di's cryptic words were weighing on his mind. He thought of confiding in Draco, but did not want to endanger his friend. Draco was too precious for him to risk losing. He knew he had an ordeal to face alone. He dodged into a small side passage that led off the Slytherin Common Room and wrapped himself in the silky-smooth folds on the invisibility cloak. He crept out of the common room. No one saw him leave. He trod carefully through the passageways, avoiding parties of aurors and teachers with prefects as he made his way to the first floor bathroom and pushed aside the door.

It was clear this lavatory was never used. The candles had all melted into tiny stubs and gone out leaving the place in near darkness. The mirrors were cracked and stained and the walls were bare stone. There was a terrible draught and the floor was sodden with water.

"Who's there?" Came a voice. Harry gave a start as the outline of a very ugly girl shimmered into view. She stared around unable to focus on him. She blinked and her small, transparent eyes began to leak silvery tears. "I never get visitors. Another unpopular Ravenclaw was killed here recently, but obviously she didn't want to come back to keep me company." The ghost began to wail at such a pitch that the hairs on the nape of Harry's neck stood up, then she swooped into one of the cubicles. There was a splash. Harry inferred that she had gone down the toilet. Very appropriate, he thought. But how could he find the entrance to the chamber? He sighed. He would have to ask for help. Who knew? Perhaps she was a victim of the Chamber of Secrets in a bygone era. He pulled off the invisibility cloak.

"Hello there?" He called softly. "I want to talk."

There was a splash and the ghost flew out of the cubicle again. "What are you doing here little boy?" She asked.

"I'm Harry Potter, what is your name?" Asked Harry.

"Myrtle, but everyone calls me Moaning Myrtle," replied the ghost with a sniff. "Not that I mind. I'm used to people poking fun at me even in death." Her silvery tears began to fall thicker and faster.

"Oh," said Harry nonplussed. An idea struck him. "How did you die Myrtle?" He asked.

Myrtles whole aspect changed. She stopped crying at once. "Ooh it was shocking and terrible dear," she said with relish. "It'll give you nightmares." She giggled and then glided over to him and whispered in his ear: "It was right over there, beyond that wall. I had been teased so much that I was hiding in a cubicle crying. I heard a boy speak and then he began to hiss in the most bizarre way. I opened the cubicle and behold! The wall was open. Out of the darkness beyond the wall there was a yellow glimmer and then I was transfixed by a pair of huge reptilian eyes. I choked with fright and couldn't move. My whole body seized up. I felt myself lose touch with this world..." Myrtle's voice trailed off. She gazed ahead at the wall as if in reminiscence. Then she fixed her eyes on Harry again. "But I came back. I was determined to haunt the young hag who made my life here more miserable." She cocked her head at him. "I hope you're not going to do anything stupid? You're not in Gryffindor are you? They're all quite stupidly bold. Still, if you were killed you would be welcome to come back here to help take my mind off things." She touched his cheek. Harry felt as if he had been splashed with cold water. "You wear glasses well. Wish I had." Harry had food for thought. Monsters could be helpful if treated with respect... Myrtle wasn't so monstrous as she seemed at first.

"Thank you Myrtle, if I am killed I will come back so you won't be lonely," Harry lied, forcing a smile. She smiled back and blew him a kiss. Harry held his wand aloft. It gave forth a shimmering light that played on the copper tap of the sink. He noticed a tiny picture of a snake engraved in the surface of the tap. The symbol of Slytherin House. In the shimmering wandlight it looked almost alive. "_Open_," he said.

Myrtle gave a gasp. "Harry, you hissed like a snake!" she exclaimed. The tap glowed a brilliant white and began to rotate. The entire sink sank into the floor leaving an entrance to a wide pipe. Harry looked down it into the suffocating blackness. This must be the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. He crouched in the entrance to the pipe, ready to slide down.

"Take care Harry," said Myrtle nervously.

Harry hesitated a moment and then slid legs first down the pipe. There was a terrific rush of air as he plunged downwards. The pipe was slippery, seemingly with a strange variety of slime. Harry rushed downwards and downwards, noticing as he fell, other smaller pipes branching off this one. Eventually he was flung out of a rocky wall in a vast underground cavern. He looked around. Either by magic or some freak property of the rocks, everything was lit by a ghostly green glow. The floor of the cavern was damp and strewn with rocks and the bones of small animals. The air was chill and damp and smelled of seaweed. Harry crept forward through an archway at the end of the cavern into a long tunnel. Suddenly a shape reared before him, the coils of a gargantuan serpent, a vivid poisonous green and as thick as a tree trunk... his heart pounding he stood very still as he slowly realised that what had seemed like a monstrous snake at first was just a cast off skin. He shivered. But he was determined nonetheless. Myrtle had told him that he had hissed at the carving of the snake in the bathroom and he had caused the wall to open. This meant he must be able to talk to snakes. This had been Salazar Slytherin's defining ability. It made perfect sense that the beast should be a monstrous serpent of some kind. He could reason with it and ask it for help in fighting Voldemort. He could prove himself to be the true Heir to Slytherin.

Soon the tunnel ended at a pair of high stone doors. A pair of carved serpents with emerald eyes were entwined and held the doors shut. Harry narrowed his eyes. The emerald eyes of the carved snakes looked strangely alive. Harry pointed his little wooden wand against the tightly locked doors. "_Open_," he hissed. The door vibrated, the stone snakes writhed and untangled themselves and the doors opened with an ominous cracking sound and swung inwards. Trembling from head to toe, Harry crept inside.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

Harry stood at the end of a long narrow chamber carved into the living rock in the belly of the mountain. The air was damp and smelled foul. It was a lot warmer than it had been in the tunnel. Harry crept forwards, his wand a tiny glimmering light against the gloom. The chamber appeared to widen as he advanced towards the far end. _What an unpleasant design_, Harry thought.

He suddenly found himself splashing through a pool of water and almost slipped over, but righted himself in time and emerged, soaked to the skin. His wand lighted his way a little distance at a time. But when he felt he was nearly exhausted he saw an end to the chamber at last. In the flickering wandlight he saw the figure of a girl slumped against the foot of a huge stone statue. He gasped as he recognised her. Her pale face was as perfect as if she were a statue herself. Her long black hair had a lustrous sheen even in the feeble light of the wand. "Di!" Harry called running over to her. With a shock he realised that she had become slightly transparent. He clasped her hand, but it felt cold. He touched her white cheek and her dark eyes snapped open.

"Harry," she moaned. She held up a small black book. "Harry you may be too late... the monster is a basilisk. Don't ever look in its eyes. Remember, be all yourself..." She leant forward and suddenly kissed him on the forehead and then fell limply to the floor. A shadow seemed to emanate from the book and suffuse Di in dark fire. Harry relinquished her hand and stepped back in horror. The shadow rose until it towered above Harry and then cast aside its wrappings once more.

Harry gave a start. Before him there stood the figure of a statuesque youth, with black hair. He was as beautiful as Di and also possessed a powerful charm that held Harry transfixed. His black eyes stared at Harry unblinkingly and his lips drew back to form a maniacal grin. "You!" Hissed Harry. "How did you get in here?"

"No orifice is denied to Lord Voldemort, Harry Potter," hissed the apparition. "Now give him your phoenix wand." Harry raised his wand, but Voldemort vanished and reappeared at his elbow. "A little hasty brat," he whispered in Harry's ear and vanished again and reappeared by the base of the statue.

"What have you done to Di?" Harry demanded. "Make her better or I'll start practising unforgivable curses on you!"

"It's too late for her Harry Potter," said Voldemort. "Faithful Quirrell gave her the diary along with a special curse compliments of my adult self. It has sucked the life out of her for my sustenance. Using her life energy I have taken an almost physical form and roamed the school passageways once more. I set the serpent of Slytherin on the squib and on two mudbloods. Have you any idea how depressing an eleven year old girl can be? But I wrote to her nonetheless. She is far more palatable to consume than the others in your year though, you must see that. When Di realised what I was doing she tried to get rid of me, but I had become too powerful and wouldn't allow it. She even tried to kill herself to escape me and stop my glorious carnage, but I was having none of it. She had to die by my hand alone."

"Voldemort, you nauseate me," said Harry.

He lifted his wand and uttered a curse, but Voldemort had vanished again and this time reappeared in the air above Harry and glared down at him. Harry raised his wand once more, but Voldemort vanished and reappeared again at the base of the statue. "_Speak to me Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts four_," he hissed.

Harry looked up at the statue. Its face was that of an aged wizard, carved in great detail. It had a simian look to it. The gigantic stone jaws were moving and there was a rustling from inside the huge maw. Harry immediately screwed his eyes tight shut. This was his chance. There was a thump and a splash as the basilisk fell heavily onto the partially submerged stone floor of the chamber. "_Serpent of Slytherin what is your name_?"

A voice, powerful, husky yet definitely feminine seemed to sound in his mind.

"_My name? My father named me Eridhne long ago when he first hatched me from my egg. That great stone likeness is his. Who are you little flesh carrier? No one has ever asked my name before. Don't look and be afraid-"_

"_Ssilence, worthless brute, listen only to me, for I am the true heir of Slytherin_," raged Voldemort.

"_Eridhne, it pains me that I may not feast my eyes on one so graceful and so deadly as you_," said Harry. "_I am the true heir of Slytherin, your father_. _This impostor doesn't appreciate you for who you are, he just gives depraved orders."_

"_I agree, little one," _said Eridhne. "_Alright, you may open your eyes and I won't harm you. We are of one blood you and I."_

Harry opened his eyes. The great, scaly head of the basilisk was right by him. She nudged him very gently, like a great cat displaying affection.

Suddenly there was a crashing and a swishing sound. Harry felt a terrible throbbing pain in his head and turned and saw, with a fresh surge of horror, a tall wizard, dressed in black robes standing beside the image of the young Voldemort who was dancing and hissing in rage. The newcomer stared at Harry, his terrible face was whiter than a skull and his unblinking eyes gleaming red in the darkness. The present day Voldemort turned to his young self. "Aren't you a sssexy beassst_?"_ He said. "But pray tell why you haven't destroyed Harry Potter yet? It iss quite a straightforward tassk."

"_We must get them sister," _said Harry to Eridhne. "_They're the true monsters_."

Eridhne lunged forward with a hiss. The aged Voldemort shrieked and vanished, but Eridhne's vivid green head passed through the young Voldemort as though he were a shadow.

"_The diary!"_ Exclaimed Harry, "_It's draining the life from Di. It's what sustains him_."

"_The girl has a curse on her too and I get the sense that she does not want to live anymore_," replied Eridhne. "_There is only one way I can save her."_

Suddenly the adult Voldemort appeared right in front of Harry and faster than blinking, wrapped a skeletal hand around Harry's throat and jabbed him in the stomach with his yew wand. But then he shrieked and staggered back, doubling up and waving the hand as though burned. Harry lunged forward and seized his forearm in his left hand and stabbed the dark wizard in the chest with his holly wand. The pain in his head reached such a pitch that he retched, but Voldemort was yelling. He pointed the yew wand at Harry, but then fell to the floor of the chamber himself, writhing in agony. The pain in Harry's head was blinding him. "_Conquer the pain_ _brother, for it is only a part of you," _said Eridhne. There was a deathly wail from the other side of the Chamber of Secrets. It sounded as though it came from the memory of the younger Voldemort. Eridhne's huge head was poised above Di, but Harry did not know what she was doing. He caught hold of Voldemort's arm and the dark wizard's flesh began to burn, clouds of acrid smoke billowed around them. The pain of his scar seemed overwhelming to Harry, but it was just a part of him... Eridhne reared above them and her jaws clamped onto Voldemort's head and with a terrible crunch, bit through the neck. The dark wizard's body at once became as limp as a marionette with its strings cut. Voldemort was dead yet again, but for how long was anyone's guess.

New images flashed through Harry's mind. Suddenly he had access to a whole store of memories. "_Now I understand_," he said aloud. "_Voldemort left a splinter of himself in my mind that night he attacked me. And now I control it and all the knowledge he had until right before the attack. And I still have my mother's protection against the fiend. All aspects of myself are under my control. Thanks sisters of Slytherin house. You have both taught me a great deal_." He picked up the yew wand.

There was a groan from the base of the statue and Harry rushed over to where Di lay. He notice the diary lay nearby. A hole had burned clean though its middle where Eridhne had dripped venom onto its cover. Harry assisted Di into a sitting position. She brushed her dark hair away from her face and turned to look at him. Harry blinked as he saw her shapely face and delicate hands were now covered in vivid green scales. "_I had to give her some of my own healing energy to revive her,_" said Eridhne. "_She did not seem to want to live_."

"_Who would want to live after being a party to murder three times_?" Di asked in serpent language. Her eyes were as dark and beautiful as Harry remembered and now they shone with tears. "_Any character who could simply dismiss such a thing from her mind and only worry about being expelled from Hogwarts would have to be quite mad_," she said as a sparkling tear trickled down her scaly cheek.

"But none of it was your fault Di," said Harry in human speech. "I am going to see if I can't help you remove these scales, given the store of magical knowledge I now own." After plying Di with different spells and remedies, he had removed her scales, but found that although her body beneath was soft and smooth as before, her skin was now a brilliant vivid green from head to toe. Her lips and tongue were a darker shade, very nearly black.

"Could be worse," sighed Di as she gazed at her reflection in a pool of water. "I suppose I'll always have some reptilian characteristics. What I feel really bad about is how my energy was used in such a way... to kill... urgh!" She shuddered. Harry put his arm around her in a one armed hug.

"Di you are like my sister now; Eridhne is my sister seeing as I am Slytherin's true heir," he told her, indicating the basilisk that lay contentedly beside them. "You helped me see my true destiny. I should have listened to you earlier. We're going to end this destructive conflict in the magical world together and find a way to truly vanquish Voldemort."

Di kissed him on the cheek. "Well that is a reason to live I suppose. To help make up for the wrong..."

"Enough rotten talk," said Harry hugging her round her middle. "I want you to live OK? I'm going to see that you do."

He turned to Eridhne. "_We must both protect the students of Hogwarts from now on sister OK_?" he said.

"_I'll uphold your wishes just as I would my father's_," replied the great serpent.

"I have learned a great deal," mused Harry. "So it transpires that Lucius Malfoy was a Death Eater and right in Voldemort's inner circle. He was due to become second in command of Britain once Voldemort took over."

Di peered anxiously into his face. "But you still love Draco, right?" She asked.

"I think about him... my pleasant dreams do include him," mused Harry. "But I am now so advanced for an eleven year old boy. We're not equals anymore. I may be isolated by power like Dumblesnore and Voldemort were – but they relished it. I never asked to be a prisoner of power, just as I never asked to be the Boy Who Lived."

_**Author's Note: **__All JKR's fans will know that Di, her beautiful and brilliant younger sister was an inspiration and a comfort to her when she was battling depression and trying hard to get __Harry Potter__ published. Although they had clashed when kids (naturally because they were so dissimilar) JKR was always protective of her sister; she was concerned by Di's tendency to make herself vulnerable by writing her deepest secrets in her little black diary. Clearly Voldemort was too much of a clot to establish such a Horcrux on his own initiative. That particular Horcrux was JKR's choice rather than his._


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-one**

"So what do you think of it overall Di?" Asked Harry. "If we were in a fantasy story, the Room of Requirement would be an unbeatable plot device."

Di gave a wan smile. Harry's whole demeanour had changed since the showdown with Voldemort. He was still a young boy to all outward appearances, but now his manner and attitude belonged to someone much older and wiser. The Room of Requirement had become a palatial set of rooms. They had crept through the school under Harry's invisibility cloak and Harry had shown her how the room worked and how they could hide out in it for the time being. They were in a marble bathroom lit by a shimmering crystal chandelier. Di had finished in the bubbling Jacuzzi and had dressed herself. Harry was still anxious about her. He realised that the horrific ordeal she had undergone could cause her to lapse into a despairing frame of mind at any moment. He had remained in the bathroom while she bathed in the Jacuzzi, just in case of accidents. Di now sat beside an ornate mirror that stood against the wall and brushed back her long black hair with a silver plated hairbrush. Her face and her entire body were now a uniform vivid green and in the light of the chandelier her dark hair took on a curious emerald sheen as though she had green highlights. She frowned a moment. She thought her new appearance was somewhat strange, but what really troubled her was the fact that she had been possessed and Voldemort, in devouring her life essence, had been able to wreak a trail of murder through Hogwarts.

"OK shut your eyes, I'm going in now," said Harry. Di obligingly placed her slender green hands over her eyes as Harry cast aside his filthy robes and slipped into the Jacuzzi where bubbles covered him right up to his neck. "OK, you can look now," he said. He let out a sigh as the warmth of the water eased the tension in his limbs. To distract her mind he began to give voice to certain matters that were troubling him. "I have learned a great deal now that I have all Mouldymort's memories from before the time he attacked me," he began. "He was inspired to do so having learned of a prophecy."

"A prophecy?" said Di intrigued. She knelt down beside the Jacuzzi. "They are dangerous and very unreliable guides for deeds. Only someone as crazy as ... _him_ ... would act on them." Harry could see her anxious look was back. "Harry, it could be painful dwelling on stuff like this," she swallowed. Her dark eyes glistened with tears in the soft light of the chandelier.

"It was painful when I was internalising the memories, but it is very enlightening all the same," said Harry grimly. "He only acted on a fragment of the prophecy. Dumbledore was a witness to the prophecy being made, but he allowed a Death Eater to overhear part of it and allowed him to report to Voldemort. I have yet to fathom what twisted purpose Dumbledore had in that instance; but I do know that the Death Eater was Severus Snape."

Di's face registered blank shock. "Our housemaster – and headmaster - is a Death Eater? I can hardly believe it."

"Voldemort believes he is, but Dumbledore believed that he himself controlled Snape. I wonder... Neither of those megalomaniacs was a trusting wizard and Snape definitely fooled one of them. Could he have fooled both? Snape hated my dad when they were at Hogwarts together. Has he really hated me all this time?"

"That's impossible," said Di. She bit her lip.

"The whole story of why my family were targeted that night ten years ago is both complicated and disturbing," said Harry. "It is a story of betrayal and the unexpected coming true. I can't possibly rule out anything." Di gazed at him not knowing what to say. "They were under the protection of the Fidelius Charm. They were betrayed by a Death Eater who had once posed as their friend. And what's more bizarre is that he landed the blame on their best friend, my godfather. Voldemort suspects the traitor is still alive somewhere. I hope it's true, because I want to rectify that."

Di was crying now, her sparkling tears streamed down her face and splashed into the pool. "You mustn't do anything else dangerous," she sobbed. "I – I..."

"Oh cheer up Di," he said, reaching out and brushing a tear away from her cheek. "We'll take things as they come."

After Harry had bathed they decided to snatch a brief sleep. Harry reclined on the soft cushions of the room of requirement with Di's arms around him, no longer plagued by nightmares of Voldemort.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-two**

_**Author's Note:**__ Harry, (now possessing all Voldemort's knowledge) and an emotionally fragile Di set out to find the Horcrux that is hidden in the Room of Requirement:_

When Harry awoke the next morning he remembered that he had dreamed of Draco Malfoy. He could not remember the details, but knew he had been frustrated that there had not been a resolution. Di's arms were still around him. He had slept more soundly for the fact he had not felt isolated. Di was still asleep. Rays of the early morning sun shone in through the windows of the Room of Requirement, revealing the green tint to her black hair. "Time to wake up Di," said Harry softly in her ear.

"Not ready," she murmured.

"Lots to do today," said Harry, slipping out of her arms. Di yawned and brushed her hair out of her face as Harry got to his feet.

She got up and held out his glasses. "Here let me put these on you, you're really cute with the black framed glasses on," she urged.

"OK," said Harry laughing. He turned his face up to hers as she carefully placed the glasses on him.

They breakfasted. Harry had ordered the room to conjure a dumb waiter that was able to travel to the kitchens to collect food and drink. He gave Di a calming draught as well, wary that her sleep might not have soothed her enough. While Harry poured an entire jar of treacle onto his porridge and toast, Di ate her way in her usual dainty fashion through a pink pudding; a glutinous dough like substance that was bright pink. "I eat this pudding when I'm unhappy," she explained. "I think it works."

"We'll both be happy yet," said Harry, squeezing her hand.

"I want my mum," said Di, her eyes glistening with tears. "Hogwarts has been pretty dreadful. I wish my big sis could have been here at least."

Harry's lack of general curiosity had meant that he wasn't really aware of her family situation. "Oh? Why isn't she at Hogwarts?" He asked.

"Well," said Di hesitantly, "she supposedly wasn't magical enough - but I don't believe it," she added staunchly. "She attends another, smaller magical school that is closer to home. She had been in a certain amount of trouble as well." Di grimaced. "But she loves me enough that she would have noticed if I – I," she stammered to a halt, her bottom lip quivering.

"I love you," said Harry smoothly and he was relieved to see Di manage a smile. "I never really had a family at all until last summer," he said. "The muggles treated me like dirt. They forced me to live in a cupboard. Dumblesnore knew all about it and relished it." Harry's indignation on the subject was still strong. Di's dark eyes had filled with shining tears again so he added hastily, "but we have each other don't we? And last summer I thought I had the Malfoys and Draco was the only friend of my own age I had ever had. The first magical kid I knew. Even though Lucius is a Death Eater I really cannot lose my feelings for Draco. "

"No of course not," said Di gravely. She pushed flicked a strand of her long black hair away from her face with her free hand. "If we could treat friend and family so disdainfully we would be like V-Voldemort."

They were silent a moment as they both considered what they had shared.

"Today we are going to deal Voldemort another blow, before I take you home," said Harry finally. "As I explained last night, the diary was a Horcrux and there are four others he deliberately created. He still doesn't know that I have a splinter of his essence in me." Di gripped his hand tightly. "It's OK I can control it now," he reassured her. "It's astounding, but Voldemort actually hid one of them in this very room. His arrogance and foolhardiness are a marvel. The Diadem of Ravenclaw is here somewhere."

After exiting the room briefly, they re-entered to find the Room of Hidden Things. It was vast. The size of St Paul's Cathedral as Di observed. And it was piled high with junk and rubbish of all kinds everywhere piled high in mountains...

"So this is where kids have hidden things?" said Di, wide-eyed. "It could have been here since the founding of Hogwarts! Just imagine..." Her voice trailed off as she stared avidly up and down the avenues between the towers of hidden objects.

"We're looking for an ancient, discoloured tiara," said Harry. "Hmmm could be like finding a needle in a haystack. Did you ever see so much rubbish in one place?" There were piles of old books and broken furniture, dusty bottles of congealed potions, broken egg shells of magical beasts, even rusting weapons. "I wonder what that is on top of that hat stand there?" said Harry indicating a gleaming metal object that was out of his reach.

"I'll see," said Di, standing on tiptoe and retrieving a silver bowler hat from the hat stand.

"That's not it," said Harry dismissively. He closed his eyes and did not speak.

"Harry?" Said Di uncertainly. Harry's emerald eyes snapped open. He nodded.

"I was using a non-verbal spell of revealing to see if there is such an object as a tiara in this room," he said.

"Oh," said Di gazing at him. She had noticed once again that look of purpose in his startingly green eyes that she had never seen before he rescued her...

Harry took her hand. "It's somewhere over this way," he said indicating an alleyway to the right amidst all the debris. Suddenly there was a creak as the door behind them opened. Di gave a start and whirled round. Harry had his wand out already. Selena Selwyn stood in the doorway and gave a start as she saw them.

"Harry – Harry Potter," she stuttered, totally caught off guard. She was carefully concealing something behind her back. Her pale green eyes flickered towards Di. "Halloween was last night Di, although it was a total washout all the same – stupid curfew." She said. "You should have dressed up then. What have you two got to hide?"

Di shuddered as she felt a buried memory rising to the surface of her mind. She pointed at Selena. "She assisted in the murder of Hermione Granger," she whispered, her head reeling with shock and she gripped onto Harry's hand very tight.

"Is it true?" Asked Harry, flicking a spell from his wand at Selena's with astonishing rapidity. Selena had scowled and probably would have prepared a furious denial, but now as his spell hit her, she choked, her eyes bulging from their sockets.

"Yes," Selena gasped and her eyes watered as if she was in pain. "The shadow – he spoke to me – I knew how to get the grisly mudblood out of Ravenclaw tower in the middle of the night. Stupid know-it-all... the metal mouth is mangled. A sacrifice to the dark lord."

Di was beginning to faint, her vision growing black. Harry quickly bound Selena with a spell of restraint so she fell to the floor her arms and legs bound by invisible shackles. Harry assisted Di into a sitting position and clasped her beautiful green face in his hands. Her eyes were glassy and she was gasping as she lived for a moment the memory of Voldemort's depredations of that night. Even though she had been asleep at the time her subconscious had been aware of what happened, but the Horcrux had blocked it from her waking mind. "Come back Di," said Harry willing her to recover. Di's eyes came back into focus. She gazed into Harry's eyes, twin emerald pools that filled her vision. She began to sob and then clasped him to her. "OK Di, you'll get better, we can take it one step at a time," said Harry, his voice muffled as she held him tightly to her.

"I was lost like a slave that no one could free," moaned Di.

"There now," said Harry reaching round to rub her back. Di swallowed and hiccoughed.

"Just let me deal with our little go between," said Harry, breaking free of her grasp and standing up. Selena cringed as he held up his wand. She had dropped a wooden egg to the floor which had burst open and a miniscule toy carriage had burst forth and opened its doors. A number of tiny animated marionettes with no strings had emerged from the carriage and were dancing around it.

"Who's is that?" Asked Harry tersely.

"It belongs to Susan Bones," gasped Selena as she felt the sensation of her insides twisting.

"You will gather it up and return it to her," said Harry.

Di sat not comprehending, still crying and now hugging herself.

"Your dark lord is dead once again," said Harry contemptuously to Selena. "I incinerated what was left of his carcass down in the Chamber of Secrets." Harry flicked his wand and Selena was lifted to her feet again. "I am the new dark lord" said Harry, "I know your uncle was a low ranking Death Eater and it doesn't surprise me in the least." Harry conjured a thick black snake and ordered it in Parseltongue to wrap itself around Selena's neck. Selena gave a shriek and almost fainted in terror, but Harry waved his wand and the snake disappeared in a puff of black smoke. "Now go and while you're gone, see what's going on out there and what state the school's in. Report back and you had better do it well."

"Why should Miss Green-around-the-gills, Miss Cry-baby, get to be your side-kick?" Asked Selena. "I could do it so much better than her!"

"Shut up. Go!" Said Harry. When Selena had gone Harry allowed Di to hug him until she had calmed down. Harry dabbed at her face with a pink silk handkerchief he had conjured. "Here, you keep it," he said.

Di kissed his cheek. "I don't know what I'd do without you," she said. At that moment, Harry fervently wished she had been spared all this.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

"I can't believe you would ask _her_ for help," said Di indignantly.

"She's _not_ a friend, just a minion and an expendable one at that," said Harry dismissively. Di had almost recovered from her breakdown, but was disgusted with Selena for having served the Horcrux while it had been active and draining her. "You're the one person I cannot do without right now," Harry reassured her. Di's dark green lips twitched to form a tentative smile. "This is an all-encompassing place, this Room of Requirement," said Harry with a wry grin. He held the Diadem of Ravenclaw in a black leather box. It had been easy to retrieve from a mound of rubbish and forbidden items, but Harry was as wary of handling it as if it had been a burning coal. He forbade Di even to see it. They had re-entered the room a third time and now they stood in a vast rocky cavern whose entire left wall opened out into the entrance to a pipe that led down into the Chamber of Secrets. Harry had already summoned Eridhne and now she came bursting forth into the cavern. "_Well met, tiny brother and sister_," her powerful voice sounded. Harry patted her scaly head. They presented an interesting spectacle. Harry was not much taller than Eridhne's head when she rested it on the floor of the cavern. Harry had prepared an entire goat's carcass, taken from the kitchens for her to eat, which she did in a single swallow. Di winced at the sight.

"_Circle of life sister_," the basilisk told her.

"_I have a little problem that I need you to take care of_ _Eridhne,"_ said Harry holding out the box containing the diadem.

"_Easy_," replied Eridhne and her forked tongue flicked out and seized the box which she broke between her jaws. There was a flash and fragments of leather and tarnished metal tumbled to the stone floor. Harry had discovered a set of spy fly tools in the Room of Requirement which he had sent throughout the castle and they had reported back startling changes to him. Snape remained in his position as Headmaster and it transpired that Lucius Malfoy had been appointed Minister for Magic. It appeared that the events that Voldemort had set in motion had concluded without him. Lucius was not known as a Death Eater to a majority of the magical community. "_We are going to confront Snape first_," said Harry grimly. "_We'll know his true allegiance soon enough."_ Harry's face was pale and set and his fists were clenched. Di felt painfully anxious about the stress that this meant for him. What if Snape really was a true follower of Voldemort and had been in some way involved with the attack on the Potters... the bare idea of the infant Harry being attacked by a maniac made her wince... she could think of nothing to do now, but to support him in his attempt at dealing with Snape. She timidly touched his hand. "I would never have suspected Snape of being a real follower of Voldemort even if he was a Death Eater at some point," she said softly. "He has such charisma, a great many girls have crushes on him and -" she bit her lip as Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Being a true follower of Voldemort would not necessarily make him a carbon copy Voldemort." said Harry. "And Voldemort once had great good looks even if he has always been devoid of charm or any redeeming quality."

That evening Harry entered the headmaster's tower surreptitiously through a route that Voldemort had known of. The exit was a concealed door in the headmaster's office. Harry crept up to it, heart beating hard. Di followed and linked her arm in his, knowing it would be pointless to try and dissuade him. She could sense there was a man in the office. They were aware that there was a man in the office. The hominem revelio charm told them that. Harry pushed aside the door and entered the office. A man sat at the chair to the Headmaster's desk, but the back of the chair was high and neither of them could see who it was. Harry immediately cast a wordless disarming and bodybind charm and spun the chair around. He gave a start as he saw who sat there.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

It was Lucius Malfoy. Harry couldn't keep him gagged. He released the magical gag and Lucius breathed in deeply as the first of air in his mouth dissolved. Di had given a little start at the sight of him. "You - you were V – V – Voldemort's second in command," she blurted.

"No! Never again," said Lucius. "I admit that in a bygone era I was hoodwinked by the dark lord, but I never wanted him to return. I have done an act of good faith to prove it Harry. Dobby!"

There was a crack as the house elf appeared. Beside him was a gaunt man dressed in simple black robes. He had long unkempt hair and a straggly beard. His face was gaunt as a skull. "Your godfather Harry, Sirius Black," said Lucius. "Sirius, this is Harry."

"Harry!" Croaked Sirius and his gaunt face broke into a grin. "You are the very image of your father Harry." Harry's breath caught in his throat. Wordlessly he released Lucius from the magical bonds and then relinquished Di's arm and strode forward. He peered into Sirius' eyes and saw the truth staring back at him. "I remember when I first held you in my arms Harry," said Sirius. "I saw then that you had your mother's eyes – you have her emerald eyes, beneath James' untidy black hair." Harry put his arms around Sirius. "You were my only family, but Dumbledore and Voldemort saw to it that you were put in Azkaban," he said. "Well they are both dead now. I have seen to it that Voldemort really was killed this time."

"You truly are your father's son Harry," said Sirius. Di hurried across the room to stand next to Harry. "A friend of yours Harry?" Asked Sirius, "Well then I am charmed to meet you," he shook Di by the hand.

"It was a terrible night when the dark lord attacked Lily and James," said Lucius. "But the dark lord had been showing signs of mental decay even then. He had developed this terrible obsession and nothing I could do would dissuade him from it. It was only lately that he revealed how he and Wormtail worked to bring Sirius into disrepute as well. I assure you both that the inhuman thing that returned this autumn was not the dark lord in his heyday. It was just a mad wreck of a wizard, even if it did have the dark lord's memories. It was no longer capable of the sophisticated lies and trickery of the kind the dark lord used to convince me to be his follower!"

Harry disengaged himself from Sirius and turned to Lucius. Di grasped him by the hand again.

"He didn't tell you Sirius was innocent until recently, that much I know for myself," said Harry. "I still trust you Lucius. I cannot forget that you were the first wizard to take in a clueless orphan boy who had never known affection."

"I should have adopted you if anything happened to Lily and James," barked Sirius. "I was certainly never a Death Eater!"

"I know," said Harry.

"And I was glad when the dark lord was gone." Said Lucius. "Life was good and I have no need to be ambitious I didn't have any need then either. It is a bizarre contradiction that Slytherin House is both the house of the aristocracy and the ambitious. The aristocracy have the most to lose by any upheaval such as that which the dark lord would bring."

For the first time since the Chamber of Secrets episode, Di gave something like a giggle. "It is strange isn't it?" she said. "It's like one of my sister's stories. She writes about people who have traits that couldn't possibly occur in the same person. Such as plain girls who judge by appearances. Or upper class people who desire fundamental changes in society even though they would stand to gain least and lose most by it."

Sirius gave a laugh like a bark. "Quite right, Slytherin House was always a joke. No offence meant Lucius."

"None taken," said Lucius with a smile, "but it is the house of Harry Potter, so it has that in its favour."

**Author's Note:**

_Should Sirius have a problem with Harry being in Slytherin?_


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

"Harry is in Slytherin?" said Sirius.

"As were Regulus and Andromeda too, you always liked her," said Lucius sharply. "And I believe your uncle Alphard always sympathised with you."

"True," said Sirius, with his laugh like a bark. "He left me a decent bit of gold. It doesn't matter that Harry is in Slytherin."

"I was sorted there too," muttered Di, looking at her feet.

"What does matter is that I want a word with my housemaster," said Harry grimly. "Where is Snape?"

"Snape is housemaster?" Said Sirius sharply.

"Professor Snape," said Lucius.

"Snivellus a professor? Ha!" said Sirius, bursting into raucous laughter, but then becoming grim.

"I know that he was a Death Eater and that he posed as both a Death Eater Double Agent and an Order of the Phoenix Triple Agent," said Harry. "I have an unresolved issue with him." Di squeezed Harry's hand.

"I have a bone to pick with Snivellus as well," growled Sirius.

Lucius held up his hands in a placating gesture. "Let's not be too hasty," he urged. "Severus Snape has not truly supported the dark lord for a long time, since before his first fall in fact. He rounded up Quirrell, Barty and Bella and prevented them from looking for Harry when the dark lord left to pursue him. He would have taken Harry to safety if Harry had not had the foresight to leave the castle-"

"Harry got into real danger, rescuing me from Voldemort," Di interjected. "Voldemort pursued him into the Chamber of Secrets, Harry took a horrible risk to save me."

"That's my boy, you _are_ your father's son," said Sirius in a tone of great relief, clapping Harry on the shoulder.

Di gazed at Sirius in astonishment, but then went on; "Snape had better have a good explanation for why he didn't do more to protect Harry, or me either and why he allowed two kids to die..." her voice trembled and she fell silent.

"She's right, we all want hard evidence," said Harry and Sirius nodded his assent.

Lucius gestured towards an ornately carved stone basin; "Professor Snape's memories of certain events are in here," he said.

**Later, after viewing the Pensieve:**

Sirius led Harry and Di down to the Entrance Hall in silence. "Who would have thought Snape would have the nerve to play such a dangerous role?" Said Di. "Working against both Dumbledore and Voldemort, without letting them know."

"I know, to think how I misjudged Snape..." said Sirius. "But now I admire his courage. He had that in abundance. Caught between two such terrible egomaniacs and never letting them know he was going to bring them both down."

Di quickly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand as shining tears appeared there. "It's so sad about your mum and Snape Harry," she said softly. Harry nodded, a lump in his throat. They reached the Entrance Hall.

"For now it's goodbye," said Sirius. "I am going to go on a world tour with my old friend Remus Lupin, but someday soon I'll be back. In the meantime Harry, contact me if you need anything."

Harry shook hands with his godfather who strode out of the Entrance Hall. The first faint, watery streaks of dawn were visible on the horizon. Harry and Di descended the steps into the dungeons and made their way to the Slytherin complex. Harry knew a secret passage that Voldemort had once discovered which led straight to a special dormitory. At Harry's request, Lucius had allocated a specially furnished dormitory which Harry, Draco and Di would have to themselves. The place was decorated sumptuously with a crystal chandelier and exquisite green tapestries. The ornate four posters were more reminiscent of the ones at Malfoy Manor than those in the first year dormitories had been.

Harry and Di sat together on the edge of Di's bed sipping tentatively on the emerald squishy drink that could be obtained from the special squishy machine by the wall. "I think the syrup concentration level was set too high," said Di wrinkling her nose. She brushed her long black hair away from her face. "So we're home at last so to speak," she murmured. "But who knows what could happen tomorrow?"

There were tentative footsteps outside and the door opened. Harry looked up and saw Draco, standing before him, just as he had always remembered him. The lamp light shining off his silvery hair as though he had a halo. A powerful feeling rose in him, both relief and longing. He stood up and rushed over to Draco and flung his arms around him, hugging him tightly then stepped back feeling a little embarrassed. "Well hello Potter, it's great to see you again after all you've been through," said Draco, his grey eyes wide.

Di had discreetly drawn back the curtains to her four poster bed. She sighed as she placed a hand to her chest. It was obvious that Harry loved Draco in a special way...

**Deeper in the dungeons...**

Travers had been elated when the dark lord had returned and he had been proven right all along. He had been called up to the headmaster's office a few nights previously, supposedly on an order issued by Voldemort himself! But then the dark lord had disappeared. What could it mean and why did he feel compelled to trudge these desolate passages deep in the dankest dungeons as though a voice was calling in his mind... ? "_Traverssss..."_ came a hiss from the darkness. "_Sssuccour me...it is your dark master. I have been assailed and my body broken and it would seem dessserted by Malfoy and Ssseverusss... but I will rissse again - yet again..."_


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

The following evening, Harry was sitting amongst a crowd of other first years in the Slytherin Common Room. It had been rumoured in Slytherin House that Harry was a new dark lord – a much better and more moderate one – in the making and it excited a great deal of interest from those around him, particularly when he demonstrated his new reserves of magical aptitude in class. Lucius had told him that he would require special tuition in the evenings and weekends, but for now he was participating in classes as before. "Tell us how you tamed the basilisk again Harry?" Said Daphne excitedly.

"Yeah, tell us, tell us," chanted Goyle jumping up and down.

"I asked her name and advised her of the role Salazar Slytherin really intended for her, to safeguard Hogwarts, not to put it at risk of closure," said Harry. "I could summon her to the common room you know, but that would be injudicious."

"I'd say," murmured Di.

"I did always tell you that Potter is the coolest kid anyone's ever met?" said Draco. "I wish I could speak to snakes."

"And why does Di look and smell funny?" asked Goyle.

"What, do I smell funny as well?" asked Di worriedly.

"Goyle... I did just tell you no more than a few minutes ago, Di was very badly hurt by you-know-who," said Harry delicately. The other first years looked a little uncomfortable at Goyle's tactlessness.

"And who would have thought that Selena Selwyn would be a party to the murder of a student... even one as unpopular as that Hermione Granger," said Pansy shaking her head.

"It's not a complete bolt from the blue, knowing her," said Millicent. "She deserves all those detentions and revocations of privileges."

"Yeah and Hermione deserved to be eaten, she was pretty awful herself," said Crabbe with satisfaction. Di glared at him.

"Oh stop it Crabbe, it's in bad taste to speak ill of the dead," said Harry. He stood up, Di and Draco rose as well and both linked arms with him simultaneously. They went back to their private dormitory, Harry opening the oaken door with a silver key.

Di went to the window and opened it. Hogwarts stood above a cliff face that towered above the seashore. The dormitory was situated at the furthest end of the dungeon complex below the castle and the window was set in the cliff face, affording them a spectacular sea view. The sun was setting and the cries of gulls could be heard from far away across the water above the gentle crashing of the waves far below. Di gave a sigh and closed her eyes to savour the moment as the cool sea breeze rippled her hair. Then she turned to face Harry and Draco.

"My sister will be arriving tomorrow guys," said Di. "To see how I am after all that's happened. She certainly wants to meet you both, especially Harry – Harry is her favourite name you know?"

"I daresay she will be dazzled on meeting me as well," said Draco in a smug voice.

"She's a bit boy-crazy," said Di, biting her lip. "Not to worry though I am sure everything will be fine. I haven't been able to see enough of her lately. Who wants to play Three dimensional chess?"

"I do," said Harry. "I know all the rules and certain strategies now."

"Three dimensional chess is boring," said Draco, "I want to practice Quidditch."

"A bit late for that, it's going to be dark soon," said Di with a wry smile. "Come on Draco, three dimensional chess isn't boring, it's stimulating. Harry agrees."

Harry had been afraid that the consequences of his augmented knowledge and power might alienate him from Draco and it seemed that it had a little. They were no longer intellectual equals so conversation with him was not as easy as it had been before. He squeezed Draco's hand in a reassuring way. "Not to worry Draco, we can play wizard's Dungeons and Dragons if you prefer."

"Yes and we can fly tomorrow and practice a little goal scoring and Harry will beat us both soundly," said Di her dark green lips twitching as she tried not to laugh. "It really is no exaggeration to say that Harry must have been an international standard flier from the cradle."

Harry felt more relaxed as they began to play. He did not need to converse with Draco, just looking at him and being able to see the familiar contours of his face again, sated Harry's feelings, reminding him of all he could have lost. The light of the setting sun seemed to suffuse Draco's pale face and hair with a rose coloured hue. Di was clearly aware of Harry's thoughts. Her dark eyes lingered on them both whenever Harry gazed enraptured at Draco. Was Draco himself aware of the depths of Harry's feelings?

**At the Hogwarts talent club:**

"Travers, I never thought I'd see you attending!" Said Martin Pecksniffe, president of the Hogwarts inter house talent club as Travers stood at the front of the room. The club only had a small membership and they had to use an empty classroom.

"I have a ventriloquial act," said Travers in a strained voice. He sat at the chair to face the other club members.

"Well by all means go ahead," said Pecksniffe.

Travers opened the suitcase he was carrying and took out a carved dummy. It was a likeness of a very ugly little old man, completely bald, with glassy eyes that seemed to stare malevolently at everyone as Travers sat it on his knee and turned its head.

"So how are you today Little V?" Asked Travers and took a gulp of water from the glass on a table nearby.

"Do not bother the dark lord with such trivial questions Travers," said Little V. "It is you who is the dummy, not I."

The other members of the club applauded. "Sssilencccce!" Roared little V. "Little V will avada kedavra anyone who interrupts his monologuing." There was a ripple of laughter across the room.

"You may laugh," shrieked the dummy. "But I'll have a better audience than you lot soon, when I crush the entire world under my heel."

"So what else would you do in the evenings given the choice Little V?" said Travers.

"Killing muggles, plotting world domination are all good recreations you dummy," said Little V. The dummy's glassy eyes swivelled to stare at everyone, giving it the eerie semblance of life. "I may have only gained a rudimentary weak body for the present, but soon I will be restored completely and then I will exact a terrible revenge."

"Brilliant Travers," said Pecksniffe. "Ugly dummy though I must say."

"You have made yourself a powerful enemy Pecksniffe!" Said Little V.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

_Author's Note: Di was more traumatised by the Chamber of Secrets events than Harry, but Harry also has a new perspective on things._

Harry was awakened the next morning by Di tugging at his arm. "Harry, sorry to wake you up, but I – I had a nightmare." She did look upset, so Harry sat with her on the side of the bed for a while and held hands with her so that her breathing gradually steadied.

"There's nothing else to worry about Di," said Harry soothingly.

"All we've been through this term gives a new perspective," said Di. "To think, the only thing I was worried about on the first day was that you didn't like me."

Harry lifted his gaze so as to make eye contact with her. "That's not true," he said. "Anyway, after everything we have survived we are inseparable." It was superfluous to add that their shared trauma isolated them from everyone else in a sense as well.

Di squeezed his hand. "Everything will be fine between you and Draco just you wait and see," she said softly.

Harry swallowed. "Voldemort's knowledge isn't a lot of use in such matters as true friendship!" he said dryly.

Di put an arm round him. "You only ever need to be yourself around Draco," she whispered. "Harry Potter is all you will ever need to be. Prepare him a cup of strong sweet tea for when he wakes up this morning and act naturally." She smiled at Harry as he gazed up at her.

"My sister will be here soon," said Di. "I'm just glad I still have two friends at this school to introduce to her."

**First year girl's dormitory:**

"It's much less crowded here these days," observed Daphne as she diligently made her bed.

"Yes, since, Di and Selena are in different rooms now," said Millicent.

"Di's moved in with a couple of boys," said Pansy. "She must be crazy, I bet they're really untidy!"

"Ah well, we have the Hogwarts House elves, bless them," said Millicent. "It may be Selena who's crazy, she's being seen by a mind healer now."

**Selena's appointment:**

Healer Jung saw Selena for the first time in a small private room in the Slytherin complex. He sat on the opposite side for a small table from the girl and switched on a recording device. He smiled benignly at her as he served her an iced pumpkin juice drink. He was an elderly wizard with the vivid green robes of a healer. His beard was white with age, but his eyes were still a piercing blue. "Good morning Selena," he said, "I am Healer Jung, a mind healer, as you may know and my speciality is the minds of magical children."

"May I ask you something?" asked Selena.

"That's what I am here for," said Jung. "You may ask me absolutely anything."

"OK," said Selena, "you come across like the old headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, is there any connection?"

"Like Albus Dumbledore?" said Jung with a laugh. "Well now, there is no connection that I can see; Albus Dumbledore never really cared what went on at this school, but Professor Snape and the Minister both do and we want what is best for you."

**The Slytherin trio's dorm :D**

When Draco woke up, Harry was already at his side with a cop of hot tea. Di was sitting at the dressing table with the mirror, brushing back her long black hair with a silver plated hairbrush.

"Morning Draco!" Di called over to him. "Sleep well? We'll play at flying today, alright? We can take my sister along."

"Oh good," grunted Draco.

"The sunrise over the sea is an awe-inspiring sight," said Harry, spontaneously reaching forward to smooth Draco's hair.

"You're awe-inspiring yourself Potter," said Draco with a small smile. Harry had been giving the problem of equality with Draco some thought and now he was devising a plan.

**Introducing Jo!**

Professor McGonagall led Jo into the visitor's room. "It's great to see you Jo," said McGonagall, giving a tight lipped smile. "Di is not in my house, but she is an exemplary student."

"She's always been much cleverer than I am," said Jo. "I was only ever any good at writing. Where's Di? I know something's happened to her." She frowned at Professor McGonagall. "I won't be happy if she really is hurt. I will blame this entire wretched place, you know that."

"Di is here," said McGonagall as the Slytherin Trio entered the room. Jo and Di rushed to meet one another and met in a tight embrace. Harry and Draco respectfully kept a little distance. McGonagall smiled and left. The sisters broke apart. Tears were leaking out of Jo's eyes and she sniffed. "Di," she choked, "what's happened to you...? Y – You're..."

"I know sis, I'm alright, everything's alright" said Di kissing her on the cheek.

"You always were the beauty as well as the brains of the household," said Jo sadly. "Well you still are as it happens." Jo caught sight of Harry and Draco and the gaze of her dark eyes became intense.

"Ah, I've been really wanting to see your friends Di," she said and strode over to Harry and clasped his hands, gazing into his green eyes. "You can only be Harry," she said. "It's uh a lovely name to suit someone as lovely as you." She glanced at Draco and gave him a polite nod. "And you must be Draco. Hi." She turned to Harry again. Jo had a pair of dark eyes that reminded Harry of Di's, but Jo certainly had not been joking about Di being the beauty of the family. When compared to Di, her features were heavy and awkward and her hair was a dismal shade of brown. Probably she would want to dye it at some point. "I wish I had a little brother like you..." Jo began.

Di interposed herself between them. "Let's go to the Quidditch Pitch while the sun's out?" She suggested brightly.

"I couldn't fly, I'm so clumsy I have accidents when on the ground," said Jo ruefully. "But I will be very happy just to watch Harry..."

And so they went to the Quidditch pitch and Harry generously offered to let Di and Draco team up against him as the three of them played at goal scoring. Draco and Di rode Nimbus 2000 models, but he selflessly burdened himself with one of the dreadful old school brooms. He still beat them both hollow of course. "There will be standardised equipment from now on that will be replaced every year, father said so," said Draco. "Dumbledore only let kids use their own equipment and never replaced the school brooms so he could openly favour his favourite students by giving them superior brooms – hence a ridiculous advantage in playing in matches."

"Yes, now everyone in the house will have a chance at the positions on the Quidditch team – except Harry's position of course," called Di as she flew towards the goal, her long black hair streaming behind her in the wind. Jo was happy to watch and her gaze was always on Harry. At the end of the day, she told him that it had been a day she would never forget.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

_Author's Note: Di may have issues of her own, but she has a helpful disposition even in adversity._

The moonlight created a silvery path across the sea that night. Harry arose and dressed himself. Di and Draco were both fast asleep. Harry had work to do and he did not intend to endanger either of them.

Soon afterwards Di awoke, feeling uneasy once again. Harry's bed was empty and it was apparent that he had gone out that night. She went over to Draco's bed. Draco stirred and awoke. Di was at his elbow, dressed in a silver night dress and clutching a doll in one hand. "Draco – Harry – Harry has gone," she uttered.

"Oh I expect he knows what he's doing, though if he's raiding the kitchens he should have brought me along," said Draco.

"Now I'm really worried," said Di, the agitation clear in her voice.

"There's no need to be," said Draco patting her arm. "I'm here, isn't that reassuring enough?"

Di smiled. "You're so sweet in your own way Draco," she said, sitting herself on the side of his bed. "It's clear why he loves you."

"Come again?" Asked Draco, bewildered.

Di squeezed his hand. "Don't worry about it dear," she said. "I'm getting into the habit of saying my thoughts out loud." Draco had sat up in bed. Di looked him in the face. "You have no reason to worry about not being equal to Harry," she said. "You were and are the most important person to him. But I've been thinking... I _could_ teach you parseltongue. I can't see any reason why not, it seems pretty straightforward. We could all have Slytherin's very rare gift."

"Oh really?" Said Draco blinking. "Well if you can do it, we can start tomorrow."

"OK goodnight," said Di kissing him on the cheek.

Harry was making his way back to the subterranean complex that held the Chamber of Secrets. All he had been through had made him wary of sharing everything he knew with Lucius without conditions. In the Chamber, Voldemort had once constructed a curse – a complex rune whose influenced radiated towards the castle and blighted the Defence Against the Dark Arts Position. Quirrell was in custody as a true follower of Voldemort. But the curse would affect his successor to the position of Dark Arts Professor. Harry did not want Voldemort's influence to persist at Hogwarts any longer in the form of his curse. There was a deeper recess in the subterranean passages, deeper even than the Chamber itself. Harry had summoned Eridhne who glided noiselessly alongside him. There was a muffled chanting up ahead. Harry quickened his pace and saw a ghostly green glow nearby. The passage opened out into a large underground cavern which was lit by some freak property of the rocks. Travers stood in the middle of the cavern at the very centre of a weird, convoluted symbol etched into the rock. He carried what appeared to be an effigy of a hideous, decrepit manikin in his arms which called a monotonous dirge in its hollow voice. With a chill, Harry recognised the incantation. It was to take the limits of the curse that was embedded in the rock deep below Hogwarts and extend it to all the inhabitants. A sickening purple light emanated from the symbol. There was very little time left.

"_Stop them," _he hissed at Eridhne and the basilisk reared forwards, knocking Travers to one side. The manikin fell to the stone floor of the cavern and Eridhne dripped a thin stream of venom onto the curse that was drawn on the floor, contaminating it and rendering it inoperative. The purple glare went out. There was a terrible hiss and a black pall seemed to rise from the manikin. Eridhne lunged for it, but an invisible barrier barred her way and her blunt head struck the air ineffectually. The shadow alighted on the stone floor before Harry and cast aside its wrappings, revealing the glowing form of Voldemort, standing there, a tall and imposing spectre. "_What are you fighting for Potter?" _Hissed Voldemort. _"What do you owe them? You are superior to them all. You should rule them - you should crush them beneath your heel."_

"Oh shut up," said Harry as he looked up into the glowing red eyes of evil and felt no fear. "Kneel!" He ordered, glaring at the spirit.

Voldemort hissed in rage as the effect of Harry's willpower forced him to his knees. Harry took out a charm from his robes that he had kept close by him. It was the last piece of the Diadem of Ravenclaw, the only part that had survived Eridhne's destruction of the Hogwarts. He had intended to fashion it into a charm for Draco, but he could use it as fuel for a spell to deal Voldemort a nullifying blow and send him into the bottomless abyss forever. He lifted it above the evil spirit's head. "You will wear this in the depths of death forever," said Harry between gritted teeth. He held the charm high in the air.

"_Draco's beneath your notice after all..."_ hissed Voldemort.

"No" – said Harry blinking. "My vengeance is not worth more than Draco's happiness." He pocketed the charm. "I can't get rid of you by being selfish."

"_What are you saying_?" Shrieked Voldemort. "_Punish me! Have your vengeance."_

"That's what you want isn't it?" Said Harry. "That my acting in a vengeful spirit should fuel your curse on the whole school? It's not going to happen. I only want the best for Hogwarts and its inhabitants." He pointed his phoenix wand. Flames golden and pure and fire black as the darkest night shot through Voldemort. The evil spirit gave a last shriek as it was extinguished. "You're gone this time," breathed Harry.

**The next morning. Selena's Appointment # 2**

_Author's Note: Perhaps the Healers have a better answer to the question of psychiatry than that which exists in the muggle world. Selena's therapy is a precautionary, not a penal measure – it is just to rule out the possibility of her attacking anyone else._

"I wonder what the fuss is about Granger," Selena told Jung. "It's not like she's popular."

"She is of course not around anymore in order to be anything related to popularity," said Jung.

"Oh? What's she doing now, as if it mattered?" Asked Selena.

"She's dead." Said Jung calmly.

"I know nothing about it. I didn't do it." Said Selena with a smile. "Besides, if she were killed it would have been for the best. She might have turned into a borderline sociopath who acted like a frumpy old woman a lot of the time."

"Really Selena, predicting the future in that level of detail is impossible," said Jung. "The art of Divination is a most imprecise branch of magic."

Selena gazed up at him apparently lost in thought. "It was beautiful," she murmured, "that night I saw the shadow. He was the most beautiful sight I ever saw."

Jung paid her rapt attention. "I would like to learn more about this shadow," he said. "I feel that it would be very informative for us both."

"Initially he was just a shadow, completely black," said Selena. "One of my favourite colours."

"Well technically black is not a colour, it is the absence of any colour, although that is of course technical stuff," said Jung.

"Well then I liked the nullity of it," said Selena. "But then he uncloaked and became the true lord of darkness. Granger deserved what she got. I had the idea that her agony should be prolonged you know? So the dark lord told the basilisk to drop a droplet of venom into each of her eyes as he held her down. It took her hours to die, but then the basilisk decided to put her out of her misery. But it wasn't an ignominious fate. It was served by the dark lord. The true dark lord, not Potter."

"The dark lord considered himself to be a being of unlimited entitlement Selena, but that doesn't mean that he was," said Jung. "Those terrible eyes of his – I would call them the devil's eyes – they would strip away your innocence, your pride and eventually your soul. I would very much have liked to have had him as my patient when he was just a boy, but Dumbledore forbade it. I daresay he had his reasons."

"Mmmm..." Selena twiddled her thumbs and glanced up at the ceiling.

Jung took a small photo from the pocket of his robes. In it a young boy dressed in simple robes sat. He had black hair and intense black eyes and was painfully handsome. "Poor boy," said Jung. "Who could bear to look at you now?"


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

_Author's Note: Draco gets a lot of development in the first six books of Harry Potter, only to be deconstructed and completely stripped of all character in Deathly Hallows. If only JKR had chosen instead to develop him further. To begin with, he came across as an arrogant little fool, but by the time of Half blood prince we see that he is willing to go out with the plain Pansy Parkinson and is not judgemental at all about Moaning Myrtle, so he shows some fine feelings even above those of loyalty to Lucius and Narcissa. Surprising or not, it was written in a very convincing way. Too bad JKR couldn't keep up that level of quality in her final book._

"I loved your poem you read this evening Draco, you really are emotionally sensitive," said Di the following night as they sat together in their dormitory. The Slytherins had a poetry recital session in the common room on certain nights and Draco had read one of his own compositions out. Draco had the amulet of Ravenclaw on and it had given him more confidence at expressing himself in verse. Harry was now off at his private tuition sessions with a Ministry auror and Di was intending to make good on her promise to teach Draco Parseltongue. Di fingered the amulet around Draco's neck as she gazed at him. "Let's hope this gift from Harry helps in the study of Parseltongue."

Di demonstrated how a hiss of acknowledgement could be made. Di was more patient than Harry would have been as Draco worked hard to practice the strange syllables. As Di had begun to know Draco better she realised there was more to him than one would suppose at first. True he tended to brag about his families status, but that was through his loyalty and fierce eagerness to please Lucius. And her magical mutation did not diminish in the slightest his willingness to hang out with her. The other Slytherin girls did not seem to want to be around her as much anymore. She was naturally astute and could tell what fine shades of manner indicated. "Wouldn't father be proud if I can get this right," said Draco as he attempted a more elaborate sequence of signs in Parseltongue.

Di smiled. "He already has reason to be proud of the son he has got," she murmured. She picked up her doll from the table beside her and hugged it tightly. "Just reassuring myself," she said, looking into his grey eyes. "Memories of the Chamber of Secrets..."

Draco reached out and hugged her and she hugged him back fiercely, her curtain of black hair obscured Draco's vision for a moment as she squeezed him close to her. "Are you crying?" asked Draco softly.

"I'm happy dear," said Di as her shining tears streamed down her face and onto Draco's neck. She held onto him for a while longer and then they sat on an armchair together.

"You made that doll yourself just recently?" Said Draco

"Yep," said Di. She held it up. The doll was well made and its face was perfectly shaped. It had long black hair.

"I see she looks the way you did... sorry," mumbled Draco.

"It's alright Draco. I have just made another as it happens," said Di opening the drawer and taking out another doll, this one with shining golden hair. "I could make you one as well."

"I don't know that dolls are really my thing... but yes that would be great," said Draco.

The soft glow of the lamp bathed Draco's face in a silvery hue. His blond hair was a little longer than it had been at the beginning of term. Di brushed Draco's hair away from his face. She stroked his cheek. His pale skin felt like silk to the touch. "You've done it Draco," she said softly. "Amazing as it seems, it is possible for any slob who pays attention for five minutes to be able to pick up a tiny bit of Parseltongue. This especially applies to the syllable for _open _which unlocks the Chamber of Secrets. To think everyone might once have assumed that it was a rare and mystical gift! You are a clever boy Draco. I think you have mastered the entire language already."

"It is odd how Parseltongue became so easy to learn, isn't it?" Said Draco. "You would think it was because of a lazy plot contrivance in a piece of fantasy hackwork."

"That makes the three of us, all Parselmouths," said Di happily. She looked at the silver carriage clock on the mantel piece. "I wish Harry would hurry up and get back," she said. "He shouldn't scare us with worry for him by staying out so late."

"Harry's always been his own person," said Draco reasonably. "I'm glad you didn't do anything such as nag him about his night time excursion fighting the former dark lord when he got back this morning."

"Oh Slytherin, no!" said Di. "I would never do that. Being eleven and being a nag would verge on the impossibly foul. I don't think there's anyone still alive who could fit those criteria anymore. But I wish Harry wasn't a marked man... it means his life is always so dangerous." Di could feel her tears beginning to flow again. Draco gently brushed them away from her cheek and she laid her head on his shoulder. At that moment the door to the dormitory opened and Harry came back. "You're just in time Harry," called Di. "Make it a group hug?"

Harry was a little surprised. Di had evidently been crying, but she was now radiant with happiness. Draco's blond hair was a little dishevelled and his face was flushed pink. His smile was one of pure pleasure as he hugged Di. "Yeah, come on Harry," he said.

Immediately Harry slipped onto the armchair, inserting himself between the pair of them. He put an arm around each of them and held them close. All tension evaporated from him. Early auror training had been gruelling, but its rigours were now forgotten at feeling his friends again. He could no longer contain his feelings. He leaned over and kissed Draco on the cheek and then, blushing looked away, glancing up at Di, whose black eyes sparkled as she smiled.

_**Author's Note to all readers:**_ _Do you see Harry as a budding gay or as a budding bisexual person? I think in canon he is supposed to be bi, but then it is difficult to know what JKR really intended. She might have just been forgetting herself and putting her own thoughts into his mind when he was attracted (to varying degrees) to Draco and Lockhart, and the memories of the young Voldemort and the young Tom Riddle and the picture of the young Grindelwald in the series. But in these incidents he DID NOT look at them the way a heterosexual male person would have done! We can rule out Harry being heterosexual, but beyond that I am undecided._


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter Thirty**

_Author's Note: Happy Christmas everyone! :)_

Harry, Draco and Di were now in the recently established fast stream for Hogwarts education, for specially gifted students who could complete the courses Hogwarts had to offer in fewer than seven years. Dumbledore had significantly reduced the effectiveness of a Hogwarts education during his time as headmaster, but this was now set right. Since their workload was much greater than it had been previously it hardly seemed long before Christmas was approaching. They would have it at Malfoy Manor, Lucius Malfoy, the Minister for Magic was doing things rather in style that Christmas. The trio were there before a majority of the guests and discussed the coming events in Draco's palatial bedroom on the afternoon of Christmas Eve.

"Isn't it exciting?" Asked Di, her eyes shining. "And just wait till you both see what gifts I have for you."

"This will be my first real Christmas," said Harry with a sigh. The first one I will be able to remember, with real family, he gave Draco a glowing look. "And real friends," he added, giving Di a smile. "So much more exciting than Quidditch even. Although Quidditch has perked up now with the introduction of standardised equipment and a correction of those ridiculous old rules."

"I'd say," said Di with a giggle. "Remember how the Seeker used to be the only player on the team who even mattered and everyone else's work was moot? It's great that the Boy Who Lived is wise beyond his years. People really value your opinion on these matters Harry."

"I agree," said Draco. "We couldn't let the muggles keep having better sports than us."

"Still it was so easy to beat Gryffindor in that match in November that the game was a bit tedious," said Harry. "It's just as well the game is now timed for only ninety minutes and there are no Seekers or Snitches anymore... but we still won by a margin of ninety ten point goals to nil; 900 – 0. Gryffindor were useless, however much the Weasley twins tried to play dirty they never stood a chance."

"I wish there were no beaters in the game either," said Di suddenly. "I really hate watching thugs like the Weasleys thumping iron balls at you." Tears shone in her eyes. Harry had remembered how much she had disliked the idea of his safety being compromised during the match. He hadn't thought so much about it at the time, but had since felt guilty about giving her cause for anxiety.

"Those two thugs never added up to one of Harry Di," said Draco reassuringly, giving her slender green hand a squeeze. Di put her arms around both of them. "You are the best boys in the world," she said.

**The Malfoy Ball room:**

The guests were now assembled in the ball room. The trio exchanged enthusiastic greetings with their friends from Slytherin House. Draco was dressed in gold dress robes and Di wore a dress of shining silver. Harry had set of elaborate emerald green velvet dress robes. He did not feel quite comfortable in them. He didn't really enjoy huge crowds of strangers or extravagant parties. He was utterly unused to such things after Dumbledore consigned him to the Dursley prison camp for ten years. He was feeling a little dizzy and wished the occasion would end so that he could be back in private with Draco, Di and Narcissa. _"You OK dear_?" Di whispered to him in Parseltongue, linking her arm in his.

Harry looked up into her face and gave her a smile of reassurance. "Come on let's do this dance together I know the steps," said Di as the hired band struck up a much jauntier tune.

"I don't dance well," muttered Harry.

"You're doing fine Harry," said Di as she guided his steps.

"Ah look, Draco's the soul of the party," Harry observed, as he saw Draco dancing with both Daphne Greengrass and a Ravenclaw girl from one of the years above them.

"Oh Draco's really sought after even at his tender age," came an unpleasantly familiar voice. Selena Selwyn had turned up. "The son of a billionaire... and the Minister for Magic. Who has a chance at him I wonder?"

They stopped dancing and Di gave Selena a cold look. She had never liked the cruel and obnoxious little girl.

"Come now, it's the season of good will," said Selena spreading her hands wide in a placating gesture. "And that wonderful mind healer thinks it would do me good to party," she curled her lip. "Look how Draco loves everyone's attention - " Selena ended in a yelp and gave Harry a terrified look before scurrying off.

"Only a spark of magic," said Harry shrugging. He looked over at Draco. Draco was in the middle of a crowd of girls and it looked like he was enjoying the attention. His pale face was flushed and glowing... and his grey eyes sparkled, his golden robes and silver hair shone brightly in the lamplight and his robes swished around... What would it be like when he was older? Would he even remember Harry's name?

Di guessed his thoughts. "_Harry you are the best person Draco knows, look at all you've done for him_," she said in an ultrasonic dialect of Parseltongue. "Here let's try the berrybrew," she said in English. She picked up a silver bowl of a warm purple liquid from a table beside them and they both sipped at it. "Oh my," said Di as the fruity liquid coursed through her, filling her with a warm glow. "I think that's enough for us." She could see Harry's face was a little flushed.

"_I think Draco would notice if I did an act, in front of everyone,"_ said Harry. "_How about if_ _I enacted my defeat of Voldemort? If only Eridhne were here, she's a party animal..." _Di bit her lip. Harry was starting to become reckless. She put an arm around his shoulders. "Let's get away from this crowd for a bit," she said. Di led Harry by the hand into a side chamber. She hugged him close to her. "You'll be fine in a moment, you'll be fine," she murmured. Her curtain of silky black hair obscured his vision for a moment. Harry hugged her back, squeezing her hard for a moment, feeling the smooth folds of her dress, taking in her familiar scent... He looked up to see a clump of mistletoe hanging above their head.

Di's dark eyes went wide as she noticed it too. She swallowed, opened her mouth and then closed it and looked back at him. "Close your eyes a moment Di," said Harry, as an idea occurred to him. "Prepare for a surprise."

Di closed her eyes. She stood a head taller than him. The soft lamplight in the side room played over her perfectly sculpted face. Her smooth green skin glistened with a sheen of sweat from the dancing, but her sleek black hair cascaded over her shoulder like a river of shadow with the kind of elegance he could only achieve by transfiguring himself. Her dark green lips puckered. He took his yellow notebook from his pocket and cast a quick spell of transfiguration on it so that it became a tome as large and heavy as an ancient spell book. He placed it on the floor and stood on it then put his arms around Di and their lips met. Her dark eyes snapped open and then she kissed him back long and slow. When they broke apart her eyes were shining and her breathing quicker. "Happy Christmas Di," he told her.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter Thirty-One**

Harry awoke on Christmas morning to find Di leaning over him her face close to his. "Merry Christmas Harry!" She said brightly, kissing him on the cheek. "Come on. You'll be pleasantly surprised at all the gifts you have."

The trio were in Draco's bedroom with a small pile of presents at the foot of each of their four posters. Di had taken it upon herself to decorate the room with little jewel bright birds that fluttered around, along with synthetic snow. Di had made Harry a small silver ring which she had enchanted to glow hot when danger was near. "I just hope the spell has a long life," she said fervently. "It was hard work to enchant it. My blood and sweat had to go in it – literally." Harry squeezed her hand. She was already fully dressed and her long black hair sleek and shining. She looked positively radiant that morning. Her black eyes sparkled. "Draco's still asleep." She giggled. "Must be tiring having to dance with Daphne and all the others. They're not all very coordinated." She gave him an expectant look. Harry hugged her. She hugged him back. He could feel her smooth cheek against his. Her soft hair tickled his ear. Draco soon awoke, complaining of the earliness of the hour. His silver hair was dishevelled. Harry felt a squirm inside at the strange feelings of jealousy he had had on Christmas Eve. He was glad Di had stopped him from making an idiot of himself.

"Thanks for the broom servicing kit Di," said Draco. "It's a good idea, that specific type of polish for a Nimbus wood. I can see how it would give the broom a longer life. I see your creative juices have been flowing." Draco had noticed that Di had already made more dolls that morning as well as decorating his room. These dolls were representations of babies all perfectly formed and surprisingly realistic. Draco narrowed his eyes. One seemed to have an undertone of green to his skin...

At brunch, Narcissa revealed to Harry that he had, over the years, been sent Christmas presents from members of the magical community. It transpired that Dumbledore had intercepted and withheld them all, but as Minister for Magic, Lucius had been able to unearth them. "Wow, Doris Crockford sent me a toy broomstick eight years ago," said Harry.

"Well, you would have been a lucky boy if Dumbledore hadn't fancied it for himself," said Draco. He laughed at the idea of the plot dumping old coot trying to ride the little broomstick.

Di snorted in disgust. "That Dumbledore – so bloodyminded. Now that his scheming is laid bare it is shown to be despicable." But Di was in high spirits that Christmas Day, she seemed bubblier and happier than Harry had ever seen her. Harry now thought he saw the contented child she might once have been. She sent him glowing looks throughout Christmas lunch. Lucius was with them for the lunch, but the job of Minister was a busy one. "There is the muggle born question to sort out," he said. "When they learn the truth, some may willingly leave the magical community..."

"I'm not sure that the children should hear about this dearest," said Narcissa uneasily.

"It can't be more horrifying than the things I have already undergone, surely?" Asked Di.

"Very well," said Lucius. "I am sorry to tell you that there is a tradition of sorts amongst wizards... I abhorred the idea myself, but never thought to try and prevent it... that wizards whose appetites were greater than their sense would have inappropriate liaisons with muggle women," he grimaced in distaste and shook his head. "I know it seems incredible, but that is where the 'muggleborns' come from. They are really illegitimate half-bloods. That is how the former Dark Lord was able to turn me against them. He played on my distaste for this so called custom. He must have really hated them himself. As a legitimate half blooded child in origin he would have seen himself as more deserving, but more hard done by than they were. But I was wrong about them – it is not the fault of the muggleborns how they came into being. They are the real victims in all of this."

"It must be very hard and upsetting for them to know that the men they knew as their father's aren't really," said Di, her lip quivering. Draco patted her on the back.

"The point is that a niche could possibly be carved for them in society, but it would have to be done more carefully," said Lucius. "And everyone should know who they are. Otherwise inappropriate liaisons of biological siblings could occur."

"It's a pity Bellatrix couldn't join us," said Harry to Draco and Di after dinner. "She began to grow on me in a sort of way, but she still needs a lot of rehabilitation after Azkaban, much more attention from mind healers than Selena needs. But she was so charming once I made her believe that I was part of Voldemort. Which is true in a way." He smiled at the memory of how Bellatrix had fawned before him when he revealed the fragment of Voldemort inside him. She had been only too willing to give him the Horcrux in her vault for Eridhne to dispose of.

That evening the Malfoys, Harry and Di went to see the Nutcracker ballet at the London Coliseum. "When I was little I always did dream about being in Clara's position," Di whispered to Harry, squeezing his hand. "It turns out the idea that this season makes dreams come true is more than a superstition."

The Malfoys certainly knew a lot about the muggle community. "It's curious how riff raff like the Weasleys may want the reputation for being muggle lovers and yet are totally ignorant of such subjects as ballet and helicopters and so on," said Draco. "The Weasleys must just use it as a front to seem more thuggish."


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

Harry, Di and Draco were walking, arms linked along the corridor that led to the Room of Requirement. Harry had a theory that he could utilise the Room's magic of detection to find where Voldemort had hidden the Ring with the Resurrection Stone set in it. He had still not found the locket either, but the diadem and the diary were neutralised and Bellatrix had surrendered the goblet to him willingly. Suddenly Harry felt the silver ring Di had made for him glow hot. "_There may be some troublemakers nearby_," Harry cautioned, narrowing his eyes. "_Your ring is glowing in warning Di_." Harry scanned the surrounding area with a hominem revelio charm and then waved his wand. There was a crash and a pair of red headed boys stumbled out of a hidden recess of the wall that now fell open. They each dropped an armload of colourful balloons that burst on the floor and drenched them in purple grunge. The Weasley twins started to break out in painful boils. "Go on, beat it and be glad I don't have time to deal with you today," said Harry waving his wand at the twins who yelled and ran off as the fabric of their robes began to unravel.

"Look at this," said Di, retrieving an old piece of parchment from the floor. It contained a detailed map of the Seventh Floor.

"Amazing," said Harry. He could see tiny little ink figures with their names, right by the Room of Requirement and another pair of stick figures with the Weasley Twins names moving very quickly away from their position. "The Weasleys can't have made this themselves, it would require such a level of magical skill and power that only Dumbledore or Voldemort could have achieved."

"Still, there are strange inconsistencies in our world," said Draco shrugging.

"Your Christmas present is the best ever Di," muttered Harry. "It works and as far as I am concerned, it's something I really needed long ago."

"Well I'll really need yours if I ever break out in scales again," said Di. Harry had got her a magical soothing ointment that would hopefully cause scales to slough off if they appeared. She did not want to break out in scales ever again. Whether or not it was wishful thinking she had felt there was a spark between herself and Harry since Christmas – one that was reciprocal. Draco's gift to her had included ribbons of various bright colours. Today she had woven the shining ribbons into her long black hair. Her gaze flickered to Draco who had his arm around Harry and was scrutinising the strange map. She put her head over his shoulder, catching the scent of his silver blond hair. Really his profile was quite appealing, the shape of his nose so distinctive... she smiled. What a privilege for him to have such strong, mature features early on.

"Well the map doesn't seem to cover the Room of Requirement," said Harry as he pushed the door to the room open. Inside there was a convenient array of silver instruments like the ones Dumbledore had hoarded in his office when he was still headmaster. After some careful testing Harry wore a frown. "Voldemort never worked with anyone else if he could avoid it," he said. "And yet here I find that after it had killed Dumbledore, the ring was placed in the custody of another. Not in Gringotts, but somewhere more secure. I have a bad feeling about this."

At Gringotts, the two goblins, Griphook and Nidluk were taking a break from their shift. They were drinking the fiery goblin liquor and conversing in Gobbledegook.

"I tell you, this is trouble for us," said Griphook. "The wizards finally seem to be better organised, more cohesive. But if they intend to make me do duties demeaning to our kind I will have my revenge. I will probably go so far as to not mention that a certain goblin made artefact is a fake when I possibly could if the situation should arise."

"Don't strain yourself Griphook," said Nidluk.

"I take it you are oblivious to the implications of their being reorganised," said Griphook. "But they were always arrogant and dishonourable. Take their custom of handing down goblin made artefacts to one another. It is little better than theft."

"But we must respect their ways," said Nidluk with a shrug. "They believe that purchasing an item makes the buyer the true owner. It may be a disconnect, but it is not as shocking as you make out."

"Ha! Always eager to fawn and scrape before them," sneered Griphook. "Well the time may be coming when we don't have to acknowledge their rules. I suppose you have not heard that a great one has arrived. A great one who could give the wizards cause to run."

"Oh really," said Nidluk peering at him sceptically. "This isn't just more of your ranting I take it?"

"Fool! A great one, the kind the wizards know as a hobgoblin has arrived on this island," said Griphook. "If he can extend to us his leadership then the wizards shall have more trouble than the dark lord ever gave them." Griphook leered, showing pointed teeth.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

_**Author's Note:**__ The reader should feel free to try and guess what the trio's relationship is. I find it easier to imagine myself as Harry or Di than to imagine myself as Draco, so watch the way in which they notice other characters._

Some days later the trio were back in the Room of Requirement. Harry and Di were practising swimming. Harry had gained Voldemort's knowledge on swimming techniques, but like all advanced magical knowledge from the quasi Horcrux he was not able to access it with total reliability. Knowledge on sports was also suited to someone of Voldemort's stronger frame. Harry had to work on how to improve his swimming techniques in ways that suited his own physical powers. "That's great Harry, you've improved loads," said Di enthusiastically as she swam alongside him with an easy grace.

"The muggles never gave me swimming lessons," said Harry. "No doubt they were hoping I would drown someday.

Di scowled. "You say Vernon and Petunia still live at their old address in Surrey?" she asked, an edge to her voice.

"I expect so," said Harry as they came to a stop at the end of the pool. "They seem to have a strange status in relation to the magical world. They have never been subjected to mind-rape or magical lobotomy unlike virtually every other muggle who comes into contact with magic. It is ironic given that they would like nothing better than to be separate from the non-muggle world!"

"It was bizarre, wasn't it, how memory charms were treated, given that we were in a context where we were supposed to be outraged by the use of the Imperius Curse?" said Di pensively, removing the hair net she had used for swimming and shaking back her raven hair. "The old regime was simply more hypocritical about the way it treated muggles."

Draco was sitting at the table at the end of the pool sipping at a lemon sorbet drink with a paper umbrella. "Muggles are contentious people, even by the standards of wizards, you must acknowledge this," he said.

"I never said they weren't," said Di. "Separation of magical and mundane worlds is best, but hypocrisy on the subject is always jarring. Imagine an extreme hypothetical case – a muggle born girl who would lobotomise the muggles she knew as her parents, completely unprovoked."

Draco shuddered. "Really Di, your imagination can be pretty dark sometimes." He held up a copy of Beedle the Bard in translations. "Right, here is the story of the Resurrection Stone. Snape said that Dumbledore claimed it was in the Ring."

"Read it to us Draco?" Pleaded Di. "I love the way you read things out. Beedle the Bard's tales are not very good at all when compared to the Green Fairy Tale book, but you could make them sound interesting."

Harry smiled and nodded as he donned his robes again.

"Oh alright," said Draco. He opened the book and began to read:

"The Goose that laid the Golden Egg – there was once a not very good writer who got lucky. In the beginning she realised her limitations, but then she got famous and began to take herself extremely seriously..."

Di began to giggle uncontrollably. Draco stopped reading. "Sorry, but you sound so sardonic," said Di, wiping her eyes. "That's the only way to read that one... The tale of the resurrection stone is in the Tale of the Three Brothers, not that weird little tale about the best-selling author. But carry on."

"No, best just read the Tale of the Three Brothers," said Harry.

Draco read it out clearly and concisely. "I wonder what the message is," said Harry. "The brother whom we are supposed to admire does nothing but sit under a cloak of invisibility his whole life."

Di shrugged. "Maybe Beedle thought inactivity was a virtue and ambition a sin." She said. "It is clear that he was not from Slytherin House. That remarkable cloak of yours that has never tarnished is just like the mythical one from the tale. Looks like the Cloak does exist."

"Well if that's a Hallow then they are not very impressive," said Harry. "And Hallows is a dopey name for them."

"The wand sounds rather more interesting than the Resurrection Stone," said Draco, the expression in his silvery eyes thoughtful. "Who knows where it is now?"

"What concerns us is the Resurrection Stone," said Harry. "Voldemort made it into a Horcrux. If only I knew where it was."

Di gave him an odd look. "I thought you already had an idea..." she said softly. Harry gave a reply in the ultrasonic parseltongue. Her dark eyes widened for a moment, then her expression became impassive. "I love you both very much," she said in a deliberate tone. "_I_ would not like there to be any doubt on that subject."

Draco's silvery-grey eyes registered surprise. "We know that Di and it's all mutual," he said. "There are no secrets among the three of us."

Di's dark eyes rested on Harry. Harry touched Draco's smooth cheek. His blond hair was like the softest down to the touch. "There is nothing, but the best of intentions amongst us," he said.

It had never been an easy task to deter Di though. When Draco was off doing a kick about with a group of other Slytherin boys – first years versus second years – she confronted him in the dormitory. "_So Harry," _she said, resuming the ultrasonic parseltongue. "_Why do you feel the need to exclude Draco from the knowledge of the Horcrux? Don't you trust him anymore? You don't keep secrets from people you love."_

Harry looked up at her. She had placed her hands on her hips. Her dark eyes were fixed on his. "_I don't want to test Draco's loyalty_ _to Lucius. I think Lucius would like to know about a Horcrux and a Hallow. I don't want to expose Lucius to unnecessary temptation_." Harry felt a kind of weariness. If only he could be like Draco, with parents he could truly rely on. But Voldemort's legacy was like a millstone around his neck. He was a marked man. Di's expression softened. She put her arms around him and they sat on the side of the bed.

"_I'm sorry, I never wanted to add to your stress_," Di intoned softly. Harry lay down and rested his head in her lap, looking up into her beautiful green face. Her silky hair spilled down over her shoulder to tickle his cheek.

"_You have a soothing Parseltongue voice,"_ he said. "_The impression it creates in my head is like an echo of a human voice, since I have the gift of Parseltongue rather than just the calling._ _It is a pleasant voice._ _Not as high as your usual voice_."

"_Oh_!" Di blinked. Then she smiled. "_The three of us will be together forever. I don't give up. At least we will be until Draco dies of a ripe old age. Who knows what all the magic we've both been subjected to has done to our natural development? We may live forever, but we can take things one moment at a time if necessary."_


End file.
